Sisterly Love
by Sailor Elf
Summary: Something's happening to Legolas and Aragorn is noticing the changes. Can he and Gimli find out what it is and stop it before something serious happens? Set during TTT
1. Speculation in Lothlorien

Disclaimer - As much as I want to, I don't own Legolas, Aragorn or anyone else from Lord of the Rings. (Wah!) Nanaylia's mine as is any other original character.

Summary - Something's happening to Legolas and Aragorn is noticing the changes. Can he and Gimli find out what it is and stop it before something serious happens?

Author's Note - I'm finally back! No, I didn't disappear off the face of the planet. (Some of you might have thought that. I don't know.) The story's going to be more towards the movie than the books. Again, sorry, to all book fans.This immediately follows 'Dangerous Instincts'. Not crucial to read that before this but there are a couple of things from that story that do show up in here.

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Sisterly Love

Galadriel walked up to Nanaylia, who was in the room she stayed in while she was in Lothlorien. She found the younger elf staring out the window.

"I know your heart is filled with worry over your brother but you cannot possibly help him in this quest to protect Frodo. I know you all too well dear child. If I allowed you to go home by yourself, you would instead go after your brother to make sure he was alright," Galadriel told her. "The gargoyle who was following you may have injured your brother in more ways than one, but he has proven that he is a survivor. Just like yourself."

"I know. You are right. I believe that being away from him for so long has made me worry more about his well-being. We lost out on centuries of being together and being happy," Nanaylia whispered.

Galadriel sighed and nodded in agreement. She smiled as she looked over the younger elf and she sighed. Nanaylia saw this and the look on her face turned into one of worry.

"I could not look into your mind earlier. I could not see what you were hiding from the others," she replied as she gave a sad smile. "I know now what you were hiding from the Fellowship."

Nanaylia turned to look at the older elf, a bit confused before realizing what Galadriel was talking about and looked down at her stomach. She placed a hand on it before stepping away from Galadriel and turning away towards the window.

"'Tis nothing," came the reply.

"I am sorry but it is something Nanaylia. You are with child. Probably one of the last elven children to be born in Middle-Earth before all the elves leave these shores. Now tell me, who is the father of this child?" Galadriel told her.

Nanaylia gulped before sitting down in a nearby chair. It appeared to the Lady of Lothlorien that the child of Mirkwood was reluctant in telling her. Galadriel soon sat down next to her.

"What is it?" Galadriel wondered before deciding to seek the subject further.

What she found, greatly surprised her. Nanaylia looked at Galadriel with sad eyes as she watched the elf sitting next to her stand up.

"Elladan is the father?" Galadriel asked. "Does Legolas know of this child?"

Nanaylia nodded, glancing away from the older elf.

"Yes, Elladan is the father and yes, Legolas does know. So does my father and Elladan's family in Rivendell," Nanaylia replied.

Galadriel was surprised by this information. She turned her head away from the younger elf. Galadriel sighed as took the younger elf into an embrace.

"Be careful dear Nanaylia for I fear that something or someone is after you," Galadriel whispered into her ear.

Nanaylia slightly nodded, knowing who it probably was.

"Alright, I will keep an careful watch for anything suspicious," Nanaylia told her.

It was then that a knock came to the door along with a voice, saying that Thranduil had arrived. Nanaylia opened the door to reveal her father.

"Nanaylia!" he cried as he hurried towards her.

He took her into an embrace and his worry began to disappear. He soon grasped his daughter's shoulders and stared at her.

"Why did you go after your brother like that?" Thranduil demanded to know.

"Someone was following them Father. Shentree to be exact. She meant to kill him - and me. The reason is because the two of us escaped from the Dark Forest all those years ago," she explained. "She was heading after him first. Probably because of the company he was with. Probably thought that she had a chance to kill him than me since I was still in Rivendell."

Thranduil coudn't believe what his daughter told him. It was then that Thranduil felt a bad feeling wash over him. He felt it once before, soon before his daughter disappeared and was believed to be dead.

"That feeling again. I do not like this at all," Thranduil whispered to himself as he backed away from Nanaylia and Galadriel. "Why has it come back? Why now?"

"What is wrong Father?" wondered Nanaylia.

"Legolas is in trouble. I can sense it. Something is wrong with him," he replied. "I have felt this feeling before and I believed that I lost one of my children."

"I can sense it as well. I have sensed it ever since he stepped into Lothlorien's woods. I did not have a chance to talk to him about it. We concentrated more on Nanaylia because her predicament was more obvious," agreed Galadriel. "Someone must go and help him. I fear that whatever this is, it will claim his life unless it is stopped."

"Father, let me go, please!" pleaded Nanaylia. "I can catch up with them!"

Thranduil looked at his daughter and smiled.

"You should go and help your brother but my question is going to be how and when?" Thranduil told her. "You have no idea where they are and you do not know when something is going to happen."

"I must help him!" she said as she sat down in a chair.

"I know you must though I am worried about you. In your delicate condition, I am worried that you might lose this child if you push yourself too hard," Thranduil told her as he took her into an embrace. "I fear that is why you were hurting so while as a gargoyle. Why did you not return to elf form?"

Nanayli broke from the embrace and stepped away from her father. She placed a hand on the top of her head, her fingers through her hair.

"I did not become elf because I did not want the rest of the Fellowship to know who I am and I realize that I am in delicate condition but..." she started as she turned her stare away from him.

She stopped what she was saying, dropping her arm. It appeared that she was remembering something she had long forgotten. Thranduil stared at her with a worried look on his face. He stepped up to her and placed a hand on her chin, turning her head back towards him.

"What is the matter Nanaylia?" he asked with caution written in his voice.

"That is what's wrong with him. Something had been telling me in the back of my mind that I had seen his actions before. That I had felt his emotions before. Now I know what I forgot," she said, the words barely getting past her lips. "May the Valar help him until someone manages to stop it."

Thranduil and Galadriel were both surprised by this as they looked at each other.

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Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli were running across the land, heading in the direction of the Uruk-hai, who were holding Merry and Pippin captive. Gimli looked over at Legolas to see the elf did not appear quite himself.

_'What is wrong with Legolas? I've never seen him like this, even though I've only known him a short time. He almost seems distant,' _Gimli thought to himself as he continued to watch the elf.

Aragorn also noticed this change and was very worried himself. He had known the elf for many years and he'd never seen the elf quite like this.

_'Ever since the Mines, he hasn't been quite himself. What caused it?'_ he thought to himself. _'But it seems that since we left Lothlorien, he appears to be better. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it just yet. Maybe it was something about his sister following us. I don't know.'_

The three of them soon stopped for a short rest before continuing on. Legolas leaned against a nearby tree and looked over his bow. He looked over at Gimli and Aragorn, giving a sigh as he did so. He was worried about something in the back of his mind.

But he couldn't place exactly what it was. And that's what worried him.

Legolas hoped it didn't have anything to do with the recent incident with Shentree but he wasn't going to dismiss it anytime soon.

Aragorn looked over at the elf and wondered what the elf was thinking. He wanted to ask but he knew Legolas probably wouldn't tell him.

Aragorn turned his attention back to what he was doing before as Legolas turned his attention to the man and dwarf. He soon began to feel some pain in his arm. He turned away from the two as not to let them see his pain. Legolas moved the sleeve in order to look at his arm, expecting to seean injury that was not healedand the look one his face turned from one of pain to that of surprise.

He was seeing the skin on his arm changing before his very eyes.

"What is going on here?" he quietly asked himself. "What is happening to me?"

TBC...


	2. Mild Changes

Aragorn stood up and began to hurry forward. He was beginning to worry slightly.

"Their pace is quickening. They must have picked up our scent. Hurry before we lose them!" Aragorn called to Legolas and Gimli.

"Come Gimli!" Legolas called back to the dwarf.

Legolas had noticed the effects that he was feeling and showing just the other day had disappeared. He was happy for he knew they had a long run ahead of them. But there was still the fear in the back of his mind that it would come back at any time.

He faintly heard Gimli complaining behind him about getting no rest after their long trek so far.

Aragorn glanced back at Legolas as they hurried after the Uruk-hai. He had noticed the slight change in the elf since they had left Lothlorien. First, it was the unnatural anger the elf was showing towards his sister in Lothlorien that had suddenly disappeared. Now it seemed like the elf was slightly withdrawn from him and Gimli.

_'He improved after leaving Lothlorien but now it seems like he's hiding something. Almost as if something's wrong but he doesn't want to talk about it,' _Aragorn thought to himself. _'I wonder what he has to hide? Especially from me? He knows he can tell me anything.'_

They hurried across the land, hoping to catch up the hobbits.

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Aragorn knelt down and picked something up from the ground.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall," he said as Legolas stopped just ahead of him.

"They may yet be alive," Legolas said as he looked at the brooch.

"We can only hope," Aragorn replied as he looked over the elf.

He narrowed his eyes as they began to run again. He saw now that Legolas was acting like his normal self again. He was slightly confused with this.

_'Why is it earlier that it seemed like he was hiding something?' _he asked himself as he heard Legolas and Gimli talking. _'I know he was! Maybe he suspects something and is now trying to hide it. I wonder?'_

They soon came to open ground and stopped.

"Rohan. Home of the Horselords. There's some evil at work here. Sets it will against us. Whatever it is, we have to find the hobbits before anything happens to them," Aragorn told his companions.

"I will find which direction they are heading in," Legolas replied before he hurried down the hill.

Gimli and Aragorn watched him head down until he stopped.

"Legolas, what do you see?" Aragorn called down to him.

Legolas looked to see where the Uruk-hai were heading but he couldn't see them. He found that the sun was somehow blinding him, obscuring his sight from pretty well everything before him, not just the Uruk-hai. He blinked his eyes few times, hoping to finally see again but to no avail. Aragorn noticed this hesitation of Legolas' and began to worry slightly. He couldn't tell if Gimli noticed this or not. He looked to see that Gimli had narrowed his eyes when Legolas didn't immediately answer the question.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called out again. "What is the matter?"

Legolas blinked again, shaking his head and his vision cleared. He was wondering what would cause such a thing. He was an elf after all!

"Nothing is wrong Aragorn but the Uruks are heading northeast! They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" he told them.

"Sarumon," he whispered to himself.

Aragorn was not really surprised with this. He only hoped they could catch up with them in time.

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They were running across the landscape when they began to hear the sound of horse's hooves. Aragorn motioned with his hand to a nearby rock. The three of them hid behind it and they saw many horses run by. After they had all gone by, Aragorn stepped out from behind the rock.

"Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?" Aragorn called out to them.

This caused all of them to turn back around. They surrounded the three and one rider pushed his way through.

"What brings a man, an elf and a dwarf into the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" the man told them.

Aragorn glanced between Legolas and Gimli, seeing what they had to say or do. Gimli was calmly standing there, his axe standing before him and his hands holding it upright. Legolas, on the other hand, appeared as if he was going to jump out of his skin. Aragorn noticed that Legolas almost seemed uptight about something. He was wondering how Legolas was going to react to this development.

"If you tell me your name, Horsemaster, then I will tell you mine," the dwarf told him.

Eomer walked up to the dwarf and towered over him.

"If would cut off your head, dwarf, if it were only a little higher off the ground," started Eomer.

It was at that moment that Legolas reached for his bow and an arrow, aiming it at Eomer. The man showed some surprise at this as Legolas began to open his mouth. Aragorn quickly took notice of the situation, seeing the obvious anger in Legolas' eyes. He placed a hand on the elf's bow and lowered it.

"I am Aragorn, son af Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king," Aragorn quickly interjected.

"The king can no longer tell friend from foe. Not even his own kin. Sarumon has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. The white wizard is cunning. His spies slip by us all the time, out of our reach. He always manages to do so," Eomer explained to them.

"We are no spies," Aragorn told him. "We are not enemies of your people, you must understand this. We can help you if you'd let us."

"Then why are you here if you are not spies? Your company is rather strange, Aragorn so of Arathorn. I don't see too many men who are friends with other races such as elves and dwarves," Eomer replied.

"We don't mean you any harm. We are travelling a group of Uruk-hai across the plains. They had taken two of our friends captive," Aragorn explained.

Eomer shook his head as he glanced between them.

"We slaughtered them during the night," he replied, continuing to shake his head.

"Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli had to interject.

"They are small, only as children to your eyes," Aragorn confirmed.

"We left none alive," Eomer told them, shaking his head. "We piled the carcasses and burned them."

He called out two names and two horses walked up to the group. Eomer then climbed onto his horse before facing them.

"Let them help you as they did their former masters," Eomer told them. "Look for your friends but do not trust a hope. There is much to watch out for. There are strange things at work here. More strange than what we can comprehend and more by what we can't see by the naked eye."

Aragorn watched them leave. Legolas and Gimli both appeared sad. Aragorn shifted his gaze slightly to look over at his elven companion. He narrowed his eyes for the elf nearly had his eyes completely closed, almost as if he were being blinded by something and trying to hide it.

_'What is wrong with you Legolas?' _Aragorn had to wonder.

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The three soon headed towards the burning pile and climbed off the horses. They looked over the scene and their hopes began to drop even further.

"Could they possibly survived this?" Gimli asked out loud.

It sounded like he was talking to no one in particular when he said it but Aragorn wasn't paying attention as the dwarf headed over to the pile. Gimli sifted through the ashes only to come across one of the belts that one of the hobbits were wearing.

"Look at this," he told him.

Aragorn then kicked a nearby orc helmet and scaremed out as he fell to his knees. Legolas was quietly speaking in Elvish. Aragorn glanced over at him, noting this behavior. He noticed that the elf had returned back to his normal self.

_'For as long as I can remember, he felt sorrow in his heart over the supposed loss of his sister. Now he's feeling something else. What is it?'_ he thought to himself. _'Well, I'll worry about it later.'_

He looked to his other side to see an indent in the ground.

"A hobbit lay here," he started.

That caught the elf and dwarf's attention. They followed him as he began to recreate to them what had happened andthey soon stood before Fangorn Forest.

"Well, there's only one way to find them now," sighed Aragorn.

"Let's go," Legolas agreed before they headed into the mysterious forest.

The elf was almost happy to heading into someplace dark. Legolas didn't understand it but the lack of light in the forest was very comforting to him.

_'Why is it like this now? I used to hate the dark, especially after the incident with the wolves and my trips to the home of the gargoyles. I wish I knew what was happening to me. I have noticed many changes to me since Moria. I wish I knew what they meant. I can't tell Aragorn or Gimli anything. They wouldn't understand,'_ he thought to himself.

He glanced over at his companions, who were currently paying no attention to him. He put on a sad look.

_'I just hope that neither of them noticed anything. I would hate trying to explain since even I don't know,'_ he thought. _'I can't possibly tell them about what I saw on my arm.'_

He lifted his arm and stared at it for a moment before following the others.

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They hurried onwards, in the direction the hobbits went before they slowed down.

"This forest is old. Very old," Legolas quietly said.

"I can hardly imagine what would go on in here. I suppose you've never seen anything like this before Elf. The things we've seen lately," Gimli muttered.

"You can never imagine what I have seen Gimli. I have seen things that would haunt your dreams," Legolas told him as he stepped up to him.

"You mean you've seen something more terrifying than two gargoyles being together in the same group?" Gimli had to ask, his eyebrows shooting up.

Legolas didn't answer the question. He was almost afraid to tell the dwarf about anything he had seen.

"Legolas?" Gimli said. "Tell me."

"I'd rather not talk about it," Legolas quietly replied before he moved on.

Aragorn looked over at Gimli and simply shrugged his shoulders, even though he already knew the truth. The truth in being the elf had already seen four gargoyles, even though one was not a true one.

"Well, we should go find Merry and Pippin," Aragorn interjected as he began to walk again.

Gimli followed him as Legolas watched them. He sighed as he shook his head.

_'I don't know if I should tell you Gimli. I really don't want to but I feel he should know about what I've already seen. If we should happen to come across the gargoyles again, he should know what he's dealing with,'_ Legolas thought to himself.

He began to follow the dwarf and man as they hurried onwards. As he followed them, he found that his senses were beginning to tell him of something approaching.

_'What is happening here? My senses are becoming more sharper that what they usually are. It's as if I can sense something coming before it actually gets here. I can almost see better in this dimmer light,'_ he thought to himself. _'My senses are sharp enough because I am an elf. What is happening to me?'_

He placed a hand on his forehead and his two companions noticed this actiion. He partially closed his eyes and stared at the ground.

"Legolas, what is the matter?" Aragorn asked him with some worry in his voice.

Legolas' eyes opened and immediately looked up and around the area. Gimli and Aragorn watched Legolas as he stared into the forest.

"It's him," Legolas quietly said.

"Who is it?" Gimli wondered. "Whoever it is, let me at them."

"It's the white wizard. He's approaching," was all Legolas said beforelifting his bow and arrow.

Aragorn grabbed the hilt of his sword. Gimli was more than prepared for what was coming. They turned around to face the wizard only to have their weapons knocked out of their hands.

"You have come in here, searching for two young hobbits," the wizard stated.

"Yes, we do. What have you done to them? Where are they?" Aragorn demanded to know as he stepped forward.

"They are safe. They came across someone they did not expect," the wizard replied. "Is that of any comfort?"

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn yelled at him.

The light obscuring his face dimmed, revealing Gandalf.

"It cannot be," gasped Aragorn.

""I am greatly sorry. I had mistook you for Sarumon," Legolas apologized as he knelt down onto one knee.

"I am Sarumon. Rather Sarumon as he should have been. Do not trouble yourself over such things. Some things are unintentional," Gandalf replied.

"But you fell," gasped Aragorn.

Gandalf explained to them what had happened to him versus the Balrog and what had happened afterwards.

"Gandalf," Aragorn simply said.

"Gandalf? Yes, that is what you used to call me. Gandalf the Grey.That was my name. **I** am Gandalf the White.Yes, I am here. My job in Middle-Earth is not finished. I have come back to help you at the turn of the tide," Gandalf replied. "There are some things in this world that are beyond comprehension. Some things are not meant to happen but they do."

While he was talking, he glanced over at Legolas, who seemed deep in thoughtabout something. A neutral expression crossed Gandalf's face.

_'Something is amiss here. Something has changed within this group,'_ he thought to himself. _'Something evil is at work here but what kind of evil?'_

TBC...


	3. Ever Increasing Tension

Gandalf was leading the group towards the outskirts of the forest. The wizard was continually glancing over at Legolas, trying to notice any and all changes in the elf.

"One part of your journey is over, another is just beginning," Gandalf told them. "There are many things that have to been done now as we now should travel to Edoras."

"Edoras? That is no short distance if you ask me," protested Gimli.

"We heard of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king," Aragorn replied. "How can we help them?"

"You can't help with everything. At least with the king you can'tand it will not be easily cured I'm afraid," Gandalf told him. "What happens afterwards, you can help with. I know it."

"We have And we have to leave those two hobbits here in this dark, dank, tree infested..." Gimli started.

He began to quiver a bit in fear once he heard the trees becoming angry with him.

"...charming, quite charming forest," Gimli finished.

He began to grumble quietly to himself. Legolas gave a small smile at the dwarf's grumbling. The elf was almost to laughing.

"Anything wrong Elf?" Gimli suddenly asked him.

"No, there isn't Dwarf," Legolas replied, not trying to hide the laughter in his voice.

Gimli shot him an angry look before Gandalf turned around and stared at them both.

"Don't worry about Merry and Pippin. They are in very good hands, so to speak," Gandalf told them. "Them coming here was no mere coincidence. A great power has been sleeping for many the long years. There are many undiscovered powers in this world, not just here in Fangorn and none are to be taken lightly."

Legolas glanced over at the wizard, narrowing his eyes. The elf knew that Gandalf knew about gargoyles, considering the whole Fellowship saw two of them.

_'What does he know about the gargoyles? What am I thinking? He's been alive longer than what I have. He probably knows something about them. The question is does he know everything about them? My father and I know more about them than most because of my sister,'_ Legolas thought to himself. _'But we don't know what others know. Or rather don't know.'_

"The coming of the two hobbits are like the small stones that start an avalanche on a mountainside. Sometimes, things happen and it just starts off a chain reaction which will lead to the uprising of different proportions," Gandalf explained. "Something is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder days. The Ents are beginning to wake up."

At the outskirts of the forest, Gandalf began to whistle and a horse could be seen in the distance, riding up to them.

"That is one of the _Mearas _unless my eyes are cheated by some spell," Legolas said out loud.

"And what would you know about spells Master Elf?" Gimli had to ask. "I've only known you a short time but I never took you as someone who knew something about magic. You know Gandalf but I consider that to be different."

"I know more about them than what you would expect Master Dwarf," Legolas retorted. "More than what you'll ever realize."

Gimli gave Legolas a stare that clearly said 'what's wrong with you?' The dwarf said nothing as the horse continued to walk up the hill andto Gandalf.

"Shadowfax. Lord of all horses and has been my friends through many dangers," Gandalf said to them.

Shadowfax looked over at the wizard's company and soon came to Legolas. He began to whinny and bucked. All were wondering what was with the sudden outburst of the horse. Gandalf tried to calm him down but the horse continued to protest.

"Everything is alright Shadowfax. There's nothing than can hurt you or any of us. I wish you could tell us what startled you so," Gandalf replied.

Both Aragorn and Gimli noticed that Shadowfax was looking straight at Legolas, who didn't seem to take notice of it. If he did, he didn't show it. The horse whinnyed again, still protesting against something. He headed towards Legolas, ready to plow him over but the elf doveout of the way. Legolas landed on the ground and rolled once before stopping. He looked up to see Shadowfax hovering above him, the look of fear in his eyes. Gandalf hurried up to the horse and placed a hand on his neck.

"Shadowfax," Gandalf told him before looking in the direction that the horse was.

He found himself looking at Legolas as Aragorn and Gimli hurried up to him. Legolas stared at the horse as he was helped to his feet.

"Looks like Shadowfax doesn't like me. I wish I knew why," Legolas absently said.

"So did I," Gandalf agreed as he watched the trio head towards their horses.

None of them noticed the stare that Shadowfax was continually giving Legolas.

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Aragorn stood up and walked over to Gandalf, who was standing, looking out across the landscape.

"The Dark Lord grows ever stronger. The great eye watches ever ceaselessly. But he fears as well. He fears you Aragorn. Rumours has reached that the Heir of Numenor still lives. He fears what you might become. He will strike out at the world of men. He will use Sarumon to make Rohan fall. War is coming and Rohan must prepare itself. But it is weak and ready to fall. And here to help that world of men is an elf and a dwarf," Gandalf said.

"Legolas and Gimli are both willing to help though Legolas seems to be slightly cautious. About what, I'm unsure," Aragorn replied.

The wizard slightly nodded his head, thinking about something. His eyes told a story yet Aragorn couldn't tell what it was just yet.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Gandalf suddenly asked.

"What? Who?" Aragorn had to ask, becoming slightly confused.

"Legolas. There's something different about him. Don't tell me that you haven't noticed it. Do you know what it is?" Gandalf repeated.

"I don't know. I have noticed the changes in him. He's had them ever since Moria, after our encounter with Shentree just outside the gates. Changes with his anger, which he doesn't remember, changes with his moods and changes with him in general. I have known him and his family for a few years now and he is definitely not himself. It seems as if his entire being is changing and he doesn't realize it. He seems more withdrawn and I can still see anger within him. Do you know what it is?" Aragorn explained.

"There could be many reasons why Aragorn. It's just that the ones I'm thinking of don't make any sense or logic," Gandalf replied as he glanced over at the man.

Aragorn sighed. He was hoping Gandalf could shed at least some light on what was happening with their friend.

"All we can do is wait and see what happens," Gandalf told him. "Whatever is happening to our Elven friend is coming quickly. I can sense it. Shadowfax sensed it himself before. That's why he reacted the way he did. He can't tell me but I know that's what it's about. Aragorn, we must be prepared for the worst."

Aragorn nodded, knowing he wasn't going to be prepared for it. Even though he was somewhat prepared for it already.

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Legolas watched Gandalf and Aragorn from afar they continued to talk. He figured what part of the conversation was about. It was about him. He absently rubbed his arm as it began to ache again.

"Why is it aching so much? There is no wound," he quietly told himself.

Legolas pulled his sleeve up once more, revealing the same discolouration he had seen earlier.

"What is this? This is no bruise. I am changing and I don't know why," he said to himself. "I can't let the others see this pain that I'm in."

He pulled down the sleeve and decided to keep the pain hidden from the others. He found that it the pain became so intense that he had to find his way away from the group. Gandalf noticed his leave and slightly wondered why.

Once he knew he was out of view from the others, Legolas fell to his knees. He moved the sleeve again only to notice that the changes in his arm were only getting worse; it appeared to be travelling up his arm. Legolas' eyes were wide, showing the fear that he was feeling. He gulped as he put down the sleeve.

"I simply can't tell them. They can't help me. They can't help me at all. They won't know what's wrong. I don't know what's wrong," Legolas quietly told himself.

He leaned against a nearby tree and huddled into a ball. He began to shiver as he looked around the area again, the darkness ever comforting him.

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Aragorn climbed to his feet, blinking his eyes a few times. He glanced around the area to see that Legolas was nowhere to be seen.

"Legolas?" he said once, looking around the area. "Where are you?"

Gimli soon stirred from Aragorn talking. The dwarf soon stood up himself. Both his and Aragorn's stare came to Gandalf, who was standing nearby.

"Gandalf, where's Legolas?" Aragorn asked the wizard.

"Not right here but nearby. Give him a few more moments. Something is happening to him and we have to let him deal with it," Gandalf replied.

Aragorn and Gimligave him astonished looks.

"And how exactly do you know that?" Gimli wondered.

"I just do. I believe he's simply ill, that is all," Gandalf said.

"But Gandalf, elves do not become sick," Aragorn quietly told him.

"I know that and you know that. But something's happening just the same. All we can do is wait and see what further happens," Gandalf also said in a quiet voice. "I believe that Legolas will tell us when he's ready to."

As if on cue, Legolas walked up to them from his hiding place. The three stared at the elf. Legolas was slightly confused as he stared back.

"What's wrong?" he asked them.

"How are you this morning?" Aragorn asked.

"I feel fine. Why fo you ask?" Legolas replied.

Before Aragorn had a chance to answer, Legolas started to head towards the horse. Gimli gave a huff as he started to head after him.

"Stubborn elf," he muttered.

Gandalf and Aragorn weren't paying attention as they stared in the direction Legolas went in.

"Looks like he recovered," Aragorn said.

"At least outwardly he has," Gandalf told him.

The wizard headed towards Shadowfax. Aragorn sighed as he headed towards his own horse and Gimli headed after Legolas.

_'I guess we'll have to wait and see then,'_ Aragorn thought to himself.

00000

The three horses galloped across the plains, heading towards Edoras. After some time, they stopped as they came into view of a city.

"There lies Edoras and the Golden Hall of Medesuld. Here rules Theoden, king of Rohan. His mind has been overthrown and Sarumon's hold is deep. Beware for our presence may be unwelcome. They have been a bit nervous about strangers lately," Gandalf warned them. "And be careful what you say as well. The wrong thing may be taken the wrong way."

The three nodded before they headed up to Edoras. The doors opened up, allowing them in. They glanced over the people milling the roads.

"You could find more cheer in a graveyeard," Gimli quietly said.

"Aragorn," Legolas quietly said to the man.

"What is it Legolas?" Aragorn asked him in Elvish.

Aragorn watched him as the elf appeared to be very nervous with his surroundings, almost like an animal wanting to break free from its bonds.

"Nothing Aragorn," Legolas finally told him. "'Tis nothing at all."

Aragorn narrowed his eyes at him before looking up and to see a woman off in the distance. He glanced away from her for a moment before returning his stare only to find her no longer there. He didn't know what to think. He wasn't believing what Legolas was saying. The elf was saying he was alright but he clearly wasn't.

The four walked up to the front entrance and a group of men walked up to them.

"I can't let you see the king so heavily armed by order of... Grima Wormtongue," the man told them.

Gandalf looked at his companions and nodded. Legolas handed over his knives and bow, knowing that even though he didn't want to leave his weapons in the hands of men, he had to do so.

"Be careful with those knives. They are very important to me," he told the man.

The man who took them nodded. He never noticed the glint of anger in the elf's eyes. Gandalf, on the other hand, did. He narrowed his eyes as he began to see the anger almost well up inside Legolas. Gandalf placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder. The elf shook his head slightly, as if breaking out of a trance and looked over at Gandalf. He slightly nodded his head, indicating that things were alright yet Gandalf thought otherwise. Hama looked at Gandalf.

"Your staff," Hama told him.

"You wouldn't part an old man with his walking stick, would you?" Gandalf asked him.

Hama let him keep it as they headed into the building. They walked inside to see the king and heard the door close behind them.

"It's Gandalf the Grey," Grima quietly told the king.

"The welcome of your halls has lessened of late," Gandalf called out to Theoden.

They watched as Grima leaned in towards the king.

"He's not welcome here," Grima told him with a quiet voice.

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" the king asked.

The four continue to walk towards the throne, the men following on the sidelines. Grima stepped down towards them.

"Late has the conjurer decided to show his face so I shall name it. Ill news is an ill guest," Grima told them.

"Keep your forked tongued behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death just to talk to a witless worm like yourself," Gandalf told him before lifting up his staff.

"His staff. I told you to take the wizard's staff!" Grima cried out as the men then attacked.

Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn kept the men away from Gandalf as he kept walking towards the king. Legolas could almost feel a different, and slightly more powerful, strength coursing through him. The men who were attacking him soon found themselves on the floor.

Grima also found himself in the floor and Gimli towered over him, making sure he didn't go anywhere. Everyone watched as Gandalf tried to free Theoden of the spell cast over him.

Legolas soon began to feel sick as Gandalf continued with what he was doing. He unconsciously placed an arm across his stomach as his other hand went up to his forehead. Aragorn looked over at him and noticed this action. He watched as Legolas began to step back, almost doubled over. The man hurried over to him, placing a hand on his friend's back.

"Legolas, are you alright?" Aragorn quietly asked him.

Legolas didn't answer but when Gandalf managed to break Sarumon's hold on Theoden, he fell to his knees and his head shot back up. He looked around with a frantic look on his face. His eyes indicated that he was not seeing anything, if anything. Gandalf turned around to find Legolas in this state.

"Oh no," he quietly said.

The anger welled up in Legolas as his vision began to clear up. His eyes turned towards the person standing beside him. Aragorn became more worried as the look on Legolas' face turned to one of anger. Aragorn was caught off guard as Legolas suddenly lunged at him. Legolas grabbed the figure in front of him by the collar and forced him to the floor.

"Legolas!" he heard someone say. "Stop!"

He wasn't going to listen to the voice anytime soon as he prepared to punch, his fist balled up but something held him back. It was then that his vision began to blur and he lowered his arm. Legolas saw Aragorn on the floor underneath him. He stood up and backed away from the man.

"Aragorn," Legolas whispered.

Aragorn stood up and started to head over to his friend.

"Legolas, what happened?" Aragorn asked in a quiet voice.

"Stay away from me," Legolas told him, holding out his arm.

Gandalf continued to watch the scene, wondering what indeed was happening to Legolas. The wizard walked over to Aragorn, who glanced at him. Legolas stared at them as he backed into the wall.

"Legolas, let us help you," Aragorn told him.

Legolas didn't answer him. He instead glanced around the room with a nervous look on his face. Aragorn walked over to him.

"We need to find out what's wrong. Let us help, please," Aragorn whispered to him.

Legolas barely nodded before allowing himself to be led away from the room.

TBC...


	4. Plans and More Speculation

Thranduil hurried down the halls with Galadriel and Nanaylia following him. Nanaylia had just told both him and Galadriel what was wrong with his son and he was not believing it one bit.

"Are sure that is what is happening to him?" Thranduil wanted to make sure. "It's seems impossible for it to actually occur."

"Yes, it is. I am positive for it has happened before. You should know that. I know that. There's really nothing any of us can do to stop it. The only thing I can do is go after him and make sure that he doesn't hurt anyone or himself. Gandalf might be the only one who can help him now. It's not impossible. I've seen it happen," Nanaylia replied. "Believe me, I know."

"I think I know of a way that she could go to help him but it would be risky," Galadriel told the two of them.

"Then how?" Thranduil demanded to know.

He stopped and turned to face the Lady of Lothlorien. The look on his face told her that he desperately wanted to know.

"Follow me," Galadriel told them. "I'll explain on the way."

Thranduil and Nanaylia both glanced at each other before following her. Galadriel led them towards a nearby room. She knocked on the door and heard a 'come in' before opening it. She looked at Haldir, who was standing next to Celeborn.

"What is it Galadriel?" Celeborn demanded to know. "Is there something the matter?"

He nervously walked over to the group of three as Haldir stepped towards them.

"Legolas is in trouble and at the moment, we have only one idea to actually help him at all," Galadriel explained.

"And what is that now?" Haldir asked.

"That Nanaylia goes after him and we need your help to do it," she told Haldir.

Haldir was more than surprised with this as he stepped towards Galadriel.

"My Lady?" he questioned.

"I know what I am doing. Here's what I am proposing," Galadriel replied.

She explained to Haldir and Celeborn what exactly was to happen. Haldir began to shake his head about halfway through.

"No, I cannot allow this. I know you have talked to Elrond about this but I don't know if I can do this. Especially with her in this condition," Haldir protested as he stepped barkwards a few steps.

"It's the only way Haldir. This transformation that is happening to Legolas is inevitable. It is coming and when it comes fully, it might be the ruin of everyone around him, not just himself," Galadriel told him.

Haldir made eye contact with Nanaylia and he saw that her eyes were saying 'please let me do this'. He gave a sigh before nodding his head.

"Alright, I will let her join me but remember that whatever happens, I was against it from the beginning," Haldir replied.

Nanaylia ran over to him and threw her arms around him in a hug. Haldir was very surprised with this action. Thranduil, Celeborn and Galadriel all smiled at each with the scene.

"Thank you," she whispered into his ear.

That caused Haldir to smile before placing a arm around her.

"You're welcome," he quietly replied. "It's the least I can do."

00000

Legolas sat in the chair, a hand on his head while the pain raged through his entire body. Aragorn stood next to him while Gandalf stood on the other side of the room. The wizard had requested that Gimli nor anyone else be in the room. The dwarf had protested against it but soon complied.

"Legolas, what's wrong? You've never attacked me before. At least not in that manner," Aragorn wanted to know.

"Aragorn, I don't know. I simply don't know," Legolas quietly replied, his face buried in his hands. "I-I don't know what came over me."

Gandalf walked up to the elf and placed a hand on his shoulder. Legolas barely reacted to the gesture. Aragorn also placed a hand on his friend's other shoulder.

"Would you like to talk about it at all?" Gandalf asked him.

Legolas shook his head before unsteadily trying to stand on his feet.

"Do you think that you should be walking? You are still in shock, I think," Aragorn wondered.

Legolas stared at him out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to look in the face of the man he had just attacked. He didn't want to but he figured he probably should as to avoid further suspicion and nodded his head. Legolas sat back down and continued to stare away from Aragorn.

"Legolas, I'm not mad at you for what happened," Aragorn quietly told him.

"But I am angry with myself for actually doing it. I was not in my right mind but I still should not have attacked you," replied Legolas.

"I don't care about that. If there's anything wrong with a friend, I would like to know what it is,"Aragorn asked. "If you have any idea on what is happening, you can tell me. We can figure this out together."

"I have no idea what this is," Legolas replied.

It was partly the truth: he knew something was happening but he didn't exactly want to let Aragorn, or anyone else for that matter, to know about it quite yet, whatever was happening. But they knew something was happening despite his trouble not to let them know.

Aragorn walked over to Gandalf, who was continuing to watch them.

"He's trying to hide it," Aragorn whispered to him.

"Of course he is. We can't force him to tell us what's wrong but I have a feeling that he will let us know one way or another, if he wants to or not," Gandalf replied.

"So what do you propose we do until that happens?" wondered Aragorn.

"We have to let him go about whatever he's doing. If he attacks you, or someone else again, you might have to confine him. Right now, the king is preparing to leave Edoras, to Helm's Deep. I don't think he should be a problem but keep close eye on him. We won't know when the next attack will be. You know it's not a matter if it's going to happen now," Gandalf told him.

Aragorn nodded as he glanced over at his elven friend.

"When we left Lothlorien, I thought he'd be alright since he'd be away from his sister, since it appeared that only she was triggoring it. I guess I was wrong," Aragorn explained to Gandalf.

The wizard nodded his head, trying to understand himself what was happening.

"What should we do now?" wondered Aragorn.

Gandalf broke out of his trance and glanced over at Aragorn.

"I would say carry on with what you are doing," Gandalf told him.

"But Gandalf..." Aragorn started.

"I know, I know. I realize that he had several problems already, between Lothlorien and here. Just like you, I won't know when anything will occur. We won't know until it happens again," Gandalf replied. "Keep a watchful eye on him as much as you can. You won't know when the next attack will be."

Aragorn nodded before heading back over to Legolas.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked the elf.

Aragorn wondered if Legolas had heard any of the conversation but his answer soon came as he saw the elf's almost blank stare. Aragorn began to wonder if it was from the recent incident or was slightly tired. Gandalf also noticed this action and leaned more towards the latter.

_'That is odd. Elves do not tend to show exhaustion. Why is Legolas feeling that way now?'_ the wizard thought to himself.

00000

"Helm's Deep indeed. This is madness," Gandalf grumbled.

"Theoden is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past," Aragorn put in.

"But there is no way out of that ravine. Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he'll be leading his people to safety," Gandalf explained. "What he'll get is a massacre."

Legolas inwardly gasped as he listened to Gandalf. The wizard continued to talk with Aragorn but he had tuned it out. What had caught his attention was the fact that there was no way out of Helm's Deep. Just the idea of that scared him.

_'No way out? Now I really don't want to be heading there now but if I simply refuse to head inside, they'll wonder why. I cannot tell them that I need to be in open spaces. 'Tis strange. I never felt this way before. Not before Moria. Ever since then, I've felt different,' _Legolas thought to himself.

The sound of hooves quickly broke his concentration. He looked to see that Gandalf was almost ready to leave. Shadowfax galloped out of the stable. Legolas noticed the look that the horse gave him on the way out.

"That horse has a problem with me and I'd like to know what it is," Legolas muttered.

"What was that elf?" wondered Gimli.

"Nothing Gimli," Legolas replied as he stared in the diretion the horse went in. "Nothing important. It's nothing to worry yourself with."

Gimli narrowed his eyes as he kept watching the elf as they continued to head towards their horses and began to head out towards Helm's Deep.

00000

Gimli talked to Eowyn as Aragorn listened in from behind them. He was quietly laughing as the conversation was about dwarf women. In the middle, he saw her turn around and look at him.

"It's the beards," Aragorn quietly told her.

Aragorn watched as Legolas headed way ahead from the group. It appeared to Aragorn that the elf was trying to avoid them again but he couldn't be certain. His thoughts soon went back to Arwen. Eowyn asked him a question to which he answered and his mind traveled away from his friend.

Legolas glanced back at Aragorn and Gimli, knowing well enough that the two were carefully watching him after what happened at Edoras. He headed up to a small hill and stared at the plains before him. He began to sense some danger slowing arriving to his position. He could sense it but it seemed to come from all around him. He glanced behind him to see Aragorn, Gimli, Theoden and other Rohan people heading towards him.

_'Why do I get a strange feeling from them? These people are of no danger to me. I have friends in Gimli and Aragorn. The Rohan people are just trying to survive,'_ Legolas thought to himself.

His stare returned to where he was looking before, taking notice of the two horses approaching from behind.

_'Someone approaches. But who would be approaching? I am sensing danger but no longer is it coming from afar but from behind,'_ Legolas thought to himself as he moved forward a few steps.

He heard a scream and ran over to the two men. He quickly readied his arrow and shot at the warg as Aragorn hurried into view.

"What is it Legolas?" asked Aragorn.

"A scout!" cried the elf, pulling out his bow.

Aragorn began to ran back, not even noticing Legolas quickly turn around and stare at him.

_'I don't believe it. That strange feeling is coming from them! Why is that now? I don't understand. Why is it coming from them?'_ Legolas thought to himself.

He turned back around and began to fire arrows at the wargs. At the same time, it felt both wrong and right to be doing so. He heard the horses coming up from behind him and he climbed onto the one Gimli was sitting upon. Soon after, he felt Gimli jump off the horse. He glanced back at him before his mind went to the task before him.

Legolas attacked a few of the orcs before finally stopping the horse somewhat. The creature was very nervous with what was going on around him yet Legolas never seemed to notice a thing. His mind became a complete blank and he wasn't seeing anything that was going on around him. The arm carrying his bow lowered to his side. One warg stopped nearby and the rider cautiously stared at him as he slowly advanced forward.

All of a sudden, Legolas lifted his bow up and began to aim it at the Rohirrim. He released several arrows hitting at least some of them. He couldn't tell how many he had hit for he couldn't see where he was aiming anymore.

Legolas soon led his horse over to Gimli, who was trapped underneath the warg.

"Glad you could finally help me Elf," Gimli managed to get out.

Legolas didn't answer and the only reaction he had to Gimli was the lifting of his bow.

"Legolas! What is this all about?" demanded Gimli.

The dwarf struggled to free himself but he knew he couldn't in time as Legolas continued to draw the bowstring.

TBC...


	5. Returning Nightmare

Aragorn was fighting some orcs nearby. He was keeping an eye for both Gimli and Legolas. Ofter taking down a warg, his stare went to Legolas, who was nearby. He was aiming an arrow at something on the ground. Aragorn slowly made his way over to see what the elf was aiming at, fearing that it would be an ally.

What he saw, was Gimli struggling to free himself.

"Legolas!" cried Aragorn.

Aragorn led his horse towards Legolas as he prepared to release the arrow. He jumped out at Legolas, knocking him off his horse and to the ground. Legolas gasped out once he did. His bow flew out of his hand, landing nearby.

"It's about time. I thought I was going to be a dead dwarf," Gimli told Aragorn as the man walked up beside him.

"And not a moment too soon," agreed Aragorn as he quickly pushed the wargs off of Gimli.

The dwarf stood up and he walked over to Legolas, who was lying still on the ground. Aragorn walked up behind him and saw this as well. Aragorn carefully knelt beside Legolas to see what was wrong. His answer came as a rock sitting quietly underneath the elf.

"He has hit a rock. He's out cold," Aragorn replied. "We won't know of any other injuries until he awakens or we get a chance to check for any."

"But we have no time to deal with his injuries. We are still in the middle of a battle that I am eager to continue in," Gimli quietly growled.

"As am I. We can deal with his injuries after everything is over. It looks like he won't be moving anywhere anytime soon," Aragorn replied.

With that, both Gimli and Aragorn hurried back into the fight. The man ran after an orc and soon climbed on behind the warg behind him. Their skirmish ended with both Aragorn and the warg going off the cliff.

The battle soon ended, the wargs slowly leaving. Gimli slowly walked up to Legolas, who was now rising to his feet, rubbing his head in the process.

"What happened?" wondered Legolas as he turned around.

He came face to face with an axe and a very angry dwarf.

"One more step and you're going to be dead, Elf," Gimli snarled at him.

"What have I done to deserve such treatment, Master Dwarf? As far as I can recall, I don't think I have done or said anything to provoke you," Legolas told him.

Gimli stared disbelieving at Legolas, who had his hands held up in the air.

"You mean you do not remember?" the dwarf asked him, incredulous.

Legolas shook his head as he lowered his hands.

"If I did Master Dwarf, I would be truly sorry for what I had done. Despite the fact I cannot remember, I am sorry, whatever I happened to do," Legolas apologized.

Gimli took notice of Legolas place a hand on his side. He watched as Legolas dropped to his knees. Gimli cautiously started to walk over to him.

"I am not going to hurt you my friend. I am in my right mind now," Legolas told him, pain slightly lacing his voice.

_'What does he mean by 'in my right mind now'? I know he wasn't earlier, considering he tried to kill me. How come he does not remember? He did not remember attacking Aragorn at Edoras,' _Gimli thought to himself.

But before Gimli could do anything, Legolas managed to climb to his feet.

"Where's Aragorn?" Legolas asked.

"I am unsure. I have not seen him since you tried to kill me," Gimli replied.

The dwarf was slightly regretting telling him that with the look on Legolas' face.

"You as well, my friend? What is happening to me?" Legolas groaned.

He began to double over as another rush of pain ran up his arm. He slightly lifted it up to look at it without Gimli seeing what was wrong. He could see that his arm was changing yet again. Gimli hurried up to him, causing Legolas to hide his arm.

"Here. Let me help you laddie. Once we get to Helm's Deep, your wounds are going to be looked at," Gimli told him, taking notice of the slight red stain on the elf's head.

He also took notice of Legolas' slight difficulty to breath.

_'Might have broken a rib when he landed on the ground. I can't imagine how much pain he's in right now,' _Gimli thought to himself.

Legolas nodded and stood up. They looked around the area, calling for Aragorn but the man was nowhere in sight. They soon found their way to the cliff. The two heard coughing nearby and they saw an orc lying nearby.

"Your friend took a tumble off the cliff," he coughed out.

Legolas grabbed the creature by the shoulders and stared him down. The orc gulped for he had never seen such fierceness in an elf's eyes before.

"You lie," Legolas snarled.

The creature said nothing more and it was at that moment that Legolas took notice of something in his hand. He picked it up to see that it was Arwen's Evenstar.

_'No. Aragorn. Now what an I going to do? I do not know if I can get through this without Aragorn and Gandalf is nowhere to be seen,' _Legolas thought to himself.

He stood up and walked over to the edge of the cliff and stared at the waters as Theoden walked up to him.

"He was a great man. Put the wounded on horses. Leave the dead," Theoden said.

Legolas turned his head to stare at Theoden, as if not believing the king.

"Believe me. It's for the best," the king told him, placing an arm on the elf's shoulder.

Theoden started to walk away but the sight of Legolas falling to his knees caught his attention. Both Gimli and Theoden hurried to his side.

"We should get to Helm's Deep as soon as possible and take care of these wounds," Gimli told him.

The king nodded before they helped Legolas to his feet and towards a horse.

00000

Once they arrived at Helm's Deep, the injured were taken to one area. Legolas had a bandage placed around his head and it was confirmed that he had a cracked rib. Legolas was lying down on a table, a hand on his head. He wasn't taking notice of anything or anyone around him.

Gimli stood with Eowyn on the other side of the room. They were very worried about him.

"And when did this start to happen again?" wondered Eowyn.

"In my ancestral home of Moria. I have not known him that long but this is not the elf that I first met in Rivendell," Gimli replied.

"'Tis strange. An elf is showing characteristics that are not his own and no one knows why, not even himself," Eowyn muttered to herself.

"Yes, 'tis very strange yet no one will know all that he knows or who he knows even," Gimli told her.

Eowyn was slightly surprised with the statement as she turned to face him.

"Why do you say that now?" she asked.

"Soon after we left Rivendell, we met two gargoyles," Gimli started to explain.

"Gargoyles? Why, they are only in the stories! They are a legend!" Eowyn protested.

"Apparently, they have existed and a few still remain. I am unsure how many though. Legolas seemed to know these two gargoyles and they knew him," Gimli replied.

He turned his stare back towards Legolas, who had begun to move around a bit. The two walked up to him to see what the matter was.

"Legolas, what's wrong?" wondered Gimli.

"No," whispered Legolas. "Why is she gone? Nanaylia, come back. Please come back. I'm sorry for what happened. Why did we have to go there?"

"Nanaylia. That name sounds somewhat familiar," Gimli said to himself, placing a hand on his beard.

"Could it be his lover? Or maybe a family member?" wondered Eowyn.

Gimli thought to himself for a moment before realizing who it was.

"It's her. It's his sister," Gimli finally said. "I met her at Rivendell and the meeting was quite - interesting."

They continued to watch Legolas as the dreaming continued in his mind when he suddenly bolted up to a sitting position. Sweat began to pour down his face as he looked at the dwarf and woman standing beside him. He placed a hand on his forehead as he turned away from them.

"Legolas, what were you dreaming about?" asked Eowyn.

"Past nightmares that I thought had gone away," was all Legolas told them.

He really didn't want to elaborate and he began to stand up but Gimli tried to stop him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gimli asked him.

"I have to go out and get some air," Legolas told them.

He climbed to his feet and and began to head outside, walking past Gimli and Eowyn. She glanced at the dwarf before starting to head after him but Gimli grabbed her arm.

"Let him be at least for a few moments. I think he needs it after what has happened," he told her.

The two watched him leave, hoping that nothing serious would happen to him.

00000

Legolas walked outside, past the people milling about. He seemed almost determined to get away from everyone.

He soon found an isolated room nearby and leaned on the table inside. He glanced at the closed door, hoping no one would come and see if anything's wrong.

"I really don't want anyone to see me in this condition, whatever it is," he whispered to himself. "I wish someone could tell me what is happening."

He walked towards a corner and sat down on the floor, not even noticing anything happening outside the room. That was until a knock came to the door. Legolas lifted his head up once he heard it for he didn't hear anyone coming to the door.

"Who's there?" he called out.

No one answered and the knocking came again. Legolas nervously stood up and grabbed one of his knives, not knowing who it might be. His jaw dropped once his saw the door open and a familiar face walked inside.

"Manlin, you're dead! I killed you more than 15 years ago!" he cried out.

"I know that but you can never escape me. I will haunt you for as long as you live. I know what's happening to you and you cannot escape it. I know someone who went through the exact same thing. I believe you know her and as far as I know, she didn't escape it. It looks like what I originally wanted finally happened. Looks like I win after all," the elf told Legolas.

Legolas pulled out his other blade and lunged for Manlin only to pass through him and fall to the floor. Legolas was mystified as he turned back around to look at Manlin. He held onto his side for it began to hurt again.

"What are you?" Legolas finally asked.

The ghostly figure turned to face Legolas, snickering.

"Your worst nightmare," came the reply.

TBC...


	6. Haunting Dreams

Gimli hurried past the people, searching for Legolas. The dwarf had finally decided to go after the elf, with some persuasion by Eowyn. He stopped next to a door to look around the area. He had been looking for several mintues with no success and he was almost to giving up unless he had a clue where to go.

_'Now where could he be? This is a big place,'_ Gimli thought to himself.

His answer came as a scream coming from inside one of the nearby rooms.

"That sounded like Legolas. What could possibly be wrong with him now?" Gimli cried out before he hurried towards the room.

00000

Legolas hovered in the corner as Manlin slowly began to head towards him.

"You will never escape it Legolas. She won't either and neither of you will never know the truth behind it all," Manlin told him.

"What 'truth' are you talking about?" asked Legolas.

"You think that I will ever tell you? I never told you the truth about anything while I was alive, why should anything be different now that I'm dead?" wondered the ghostly figure. "I've always believed that even if I do happen to tell you, you wouldn't believe me."

Manlin pulled out his sword as he continued to head towards Legolas, who was becoming ever scared by each passing moment. Manlin lifted up his sword and began to bring it down on Legolas. The elf began to scream as he instinctively raised his arms. In the back of his mind, he heard the slam of a door.

"Legolas!" came a familiar voice.

"Gimli?" Legolas questioned.

The elf lowered his arms and raised his head to see Gimli standing next to him, looking rather worried.

"What are you doing here?" Legolas gasped.

"The question should be, are you alright?" Gimli told him.

Legolas looked around the room to see no one else but the dwarf and himself. The elf quickly stood up and hurried around the room. To Gimli, it appeared that Legolas was trying to look for someone or something.

"Legolas, who or what are you looking for?" wondered Gimli.

"He was here! He was here, I am certain of it!" Legolas cried out.

"No one was here, Legolas! When I came inside, I only found you and it appeared to me as if you were trying to protect yourself from something," Gimli explained.

Legolas turned around and stared at the dwarf. Legolas kept looking around the room, as if trying to prove to Gimli that someone was actually there. He pulled out one of his knives.

"He was here. I have to find him. He has to pay for what he's done," Legolas growled in a low voice.

"Who are you talking about Legolas?" Gimli had to ask.

"Manlin was here. I know he was but it's impossible at the same time," Legolas said.

"What? Who's Manlin?" wondered Gimli.

Legolas turned towards Gimli and realized what he had said. He sighed as he lowered the blade and turned towards Gimli.

"He's someone I once knew. He - unexpectedly died many years ago," Legolas explained as he stared at the hilt of the sword.

Gimli nodded, deciding not to press the matter further. By what the dwarf already heard, he could figure out a theory as to what had happened. All he hoped was that the eld would talk about it further.

"Come on laddie. Let's get you something to eat. You've been through a lot in the past few days," Gimli told him.

Legolas barely reacted as Gimli pulled him out of the room.

00000

"I don't like this. Not at all. When I agreed to help you get to your brother, I didn't mean for it to be like this," Haldir protested, his arms folded across his chest.

"It's the only way Haldir. How else can I do it? My father wouldn't let me go otherwise, whether he were here or not. If he were not, Lady Galadriel would not let me. I don't know what I would be like without her," Nanaylia told him from behind the closed door.

Haldir stared at the door, in total disbelief over what the younger elf had said.

"I can just imagine the look on your face right now. I mean it Haldir. You didn't lose your mother when you were only a few hundred years old, then nearly die yourself," she protested. "My brother and I were beside ourselves when she died but I do remember Galadriel trying to help whenever she could."

Haldir decided to be quiet about the topic as he impatiently waited for Nanaylia to finish getting ready. She soon walked out in full Elven uniform.

"So? How do I look?" she asked him.

"If I didn't know it was you, I could easily take you for one of the Galadhrim," he told her.

"That's what I was aiming for. I don't want the others to know I'm among them. Only you should know. I know I'm not as good as you or my brother but I can still fight," she replied.

She walked up to him and sighed. Haldir saw the very worried look on her face and he grasped her hand.

"Your brother will be fine," he quietly said.

"No, he won't," she said, shaking her head. "If I remember anything, what he's going through will be painful and disorienting. It grieves me to know he's going through this. He shouldn't have to but he is. I cannot help him, only comfort him. The one person we would need to help is not here."

"And that would be Gandalf?" Haldir wanted to make sure.

She nodded before they headed out of the room.

"I'm still going to be worrying about you. I know you're not the best warrior," Haldir told her.

"And I'm not going to stop you from worrying. I'd worry myself," she replied.

00000

Legolas managed to walk back to the room on his own two feet. He sat back down on the bed as Eowyn knelt beside him.

"What has happened to him?" she asked Gimli.

"I am unsure. I found him in a room, huddled in a corner. He seemed to be afraid of someone. He wouldn't really elaborate but it was someone he knew," Gimli replied.

Eowyn helped Legolas lay down, telling him that he should get some rest. He complied but he stared at her and saw the worry in her eyes before finally falling asleep.

"There, he should be fine right now. We'll see how he is when he wakes up," Eowyn said to Gimli.

The dwarf nodded before deciding to leave the room, giving him time to rest.

00000

Legolas opened his eyes to see that there was no one else in the room. He sat up and looked around the room.

_'Where is everyone?' _he thought to himself.

He stood up, wondering where everyone was, not noticing the figure he passed.

"They're gone because of you Legolas. Your mother left, your sister left, one of your best friends left, all because of you. Now what do you have to say about yourself?" came a familiar voice.

Legolas spun around to see Manlin leaning against a wall, hands folded in front of him.

"They did not leave because of me. It was your fault that Nanaylia was thought to be dead all those centuries. Aragorn did not die by choice. As for my mother, how dare you. I was not to blame! The palace was attacked by spiders! She saved the lives of her children," Legolas protested.

"Yes, I know what happened to your mother but do you remember what happened to the body?" Manlin questioned him.

Legolas opened his mouth slightly to answer but he realized he had no answer. When he remained quiet, Manlin snickered.

"What did I tell you? If you remember at all, the body simply vanished. I know what happened to the body, even if you don't. I would tell you but it's one of those truths that I won't get around to telling you dear Legolas. You'd never believe me anyway. By the way, I had nothing to do with it. I'll tell you that, at least," Manlin replied.

"Tell me right now or else I will kill you!" Legolas yelled out at him.

He ran up to Manlin and grabbed him by the collar but the elf simply laughed it off.

"You're going to kill an already dead elf? I'd like to see that now," Manlin snickered before disappearing into thin air.

Legolas stepped back as everything around him began to disappear. He screamed.

00000

Legolas bolted up in the bed, grabbing the attention of Eowyn, who had decided to come back to the room. She hurried up to him.

"I have to get out of here," he quietly said.

"Out of here? But you can't leave this room.! You need rest! The injuries you have received are serious!" Eowyn protested.

She tried to keep him laying down but he managed to stand back up.

"No, not out of this room, out of this place. Its walls are closing in around me," Legolas replied as he headed out the door.

Gimli and Eowyn watched him leave, some disbelief evident on their faces.

"What do we do now then?" she asked.

"I don't know," Gimli replied. "But I think I should head after him again."

He quickly headed after the elf, hoping to catch up with him.

00000

Once again, Legolas hurried down the path, passing people along the way. He knew Gimli tried to follow but couldn't keep up. He hurried towards a door and leaned against the doorway.

_'Why does this have to happen to me? Is there anyone who can help me?' _he thought to himself.

He glanced around the area to see that no one was paying any attention to him whatsoever.

_'Is there anyone who has experienced these symptoms before?' _he wondered.

He began to walk away from the building, not paying any attention to anyone around him either. He felt a hand against his shoulder and he looked up to see Aragorn standing in front of him. He glanced to see that no one was paying any attention to them.

"Aragorn," Legolas barely said.

"Yes, Legolas, it is me. I am back," Aragorn told him.

"You can't be here. You're dead. Now everyone around me who died has come back to haunt me!" Legolas said, his voice beginning to rise.

"Legolas, calm down!" Aragorn told him.

"You can't be here! You're in my mind! Stop haunting me!" Legolas cried out, placing his hands over his ears.

TBC...


	7. Dramatic Turn of Events

"Legolas!" Aragorn cried out. "It's me, Aragorn."

The man grasped Legolas' shoulders, trying to make the elf face him.

"Legolas, I am alive. I am here. I have not come back to haunt you. What has gotten into you to make you think that?" Aragorn told him.

Legolas had his eyes tightly shut but when he heard Aragorn talk to him, he slowly opened them up to see the man standing before him. It was at that moment, he took notice of the man grasping his arms.

"Then I am not dreaming?" Legolas managed to get out. "You are actually here?"

"Of course I am here. What made you think you were dreaming? What made you think I was truly dead?" Aragorn asked him.

"He told me you left because of me, that it was my fault," Legolas barely managed to say.

Aragorn was confused by the statement. He glanced around to see several people staring at them. He led the elf towards a corner, out of earshot of the others.

"Who did?" Aragorn asked. "Who told you I left because of you?"

Legolas stared away from Aragorn, unable to look at him straight in the eye. Legolas was a bit uncertain whether or not to tell him. He gulped and nodded slightly.

"Manlin did," Legolas finally replied.

"What?" Aragorn had to ask.

"Manlin told me you left just like my mother and sister had left," Legolas continued on, completely ignoring what Aragorn had said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Legolas, you killed Manlin years ago. Your sister was returned to you at the same time when she was finally released from his imprisonment," Aragorn protested. "As for your mother, I never knew her or the events surrounding her death but I don't think you were the reason she died."

He wasn't believing what he was hearing from Legolas. He stepped away from Legolas for a moment, wondering how he should go about this situation.

"When did he tell you this?" Aragorn asked.

"Just now," Legolas quietly replied.

"That's impossible Legolas! Manlin is dead! He has been for years now. Remember?" Aragorn almost cried out.

"I know that but he told me now just the same. Sad thing is, even though I knew he was lying, I began to believe him, just like when I was younger. I don't know how he got here but he did just the same," Legolas told him. "He was here at least in spirit, if not in body."

_'Now that doesn't make any sense. Manlin just told Legolas this lie, even though he's been dead for many years? I wish Nanaylia were here. She might know what's going on here. But what if she wouldn't know? Either way, we have a problem on our hands,'_ Aragorn thought to himself. "Come on Legolas. I have to go see the king. We have much to discuss."

Legolas slowly lifted his head to stare at his friend and nodded. Legolas lifted his hand as if to hand his friend something. Aragorn noticed this and took the object that Legolas gave him. He saw that it was Arwen's Evenstar. Aragorn smiled.

"Thank you Legolas," Aragorn quietly told him. "Just to let you know, I would never 'leave' because of you."

Legolas gave a small smile but his eyes read sadness and Aragorn could see that.

_'I wish you would tell me what's wrong, my friend,'_ Aragorn thought to himself.

00000

"How many?" Theoden asked.

"10,000 strong at least," Aragorn replied.

"10,000?" Theoden had to repeat.

"It's an army bred for one purpose: to destroy the world of men. They'll be here by nightfall. We should be prepared for when they come," Aragorn replied.

Theoden wasn't believing what he was hearing. Aragorn was watching both the king and Legolas, who was ever fidgeting, which was something he had never known the elf to do.

_'He wants to get out of here, I can tell but why? Is there something or someone in here that is making him nervous? Or is he still trying to get over the shock of the fact that I'm still alive?' _Aragorn wondered. _'There is definitely something wrong with him but what? He is mentally incapable of fighting tonight but we still need his help.' _

He walked over to the elf as king the began to head out the door.

"What is wrong?" Aragorn quietly asked the elf.

"Nothing is wrong," the elf snapped back. "I simply have to get out of this room to get some air."

Aragorn was a bit surprised with the elf's reaction but he nodded as they followed the king outside. He began to tell them their plans for the upcoming battle. Aragorn soon began to tell the king of his worries andTheoden told Aragorn of what could be done.

"They are not coming to destroy Rohan's crops or villages, they're coming to destroy the people, every last one," Aragorn protested. "Send out riders. You must call for aid."

"Who would you have me go call the aid from? Elves? Dwarves?" Theoden wondered. "No my Lord Aragorn. We are alone in this fight and long afterwards."

Legolas decided to step forward. Aragorn tried to stop him but the elf moved around him.

"King Theoden, you must understand one thing," Legolas said.

Theoden was a bit surprised that the elf had anything to say. He gave a nod of his head, indicating that Legolas should continue.

"You feel alone within your own kingdom, the danger coming from afar. Where I come from, we feel alone while the danger comes within. We cannot trust our own people," Legolas told him.

"I cannot fully trust my own people either. Look what happened with Grima. Thanks to his dealings with Sarumon, the wizard had me down on my knees," Theoden protested.

"But Grima was working for someone. The elf I was thinking about was working for himself and he almost succeeded in taking over my kingdom completely. My father and myself did not realize this until it was too late," Legolas replied. "He actually did for a short time."

"I really don't know the point of this conversation," Theoden quietly said before heading away.

Aragorn and Gimli followed him, but not before they each gave Legolas a worried look. The elf watched them leave, a cold stare on his face.

"I would not have been here to help. Events leading up to this day may have been greatly different because of Manlin. I believe that was what I was trying to get across," Legolas quietly said.

He was almost snarling and he wasn't even realizing it as he headed in the other direction.

00000

Aragorn walked up to Legolas, who was standing along the wall, staring out at the sky.

"What're you thinking about Legolas?" Aragorn wondered.

Legolas broke out of his trance and turned enough to see that Aragorn was behind him.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Legolas told him with a shake of the head.

"I would not have asked if I wasn't curious at all," Aragorn replied.

Legolas smiled as he returned to staring at the sky again. He stared at the birds flying about.

"I was thinking how it would feel like to fly," Legolas confessed.

"Fly? As much as you'd like to Legolas, you won't be able to fly. Neither will I. No one can besides the birds and gargoyles can fly," Aragorn replied.

At the mention of gargoyles, Legolas lowered his head slightly. Aragorn knew he brought back bad memories.

"I wish I could make all three of them pay for what they did to my sister, like what I did with Manlin but I know I never will. They're too far out of my grasp. I don't even know where Shentree is anymore, even though we only recently saw her," Legolas quietly said.

Aragorn nodded, indicating he understood. His concerns grew slightly when he saw Legolas place a hand on his face.

"What is the matter Legolas?" Argorn wondered.

"Nothing is wrong," he lied.

Aragorn narrowed his eyes, knowing there was something wrong with the elf. He just didn't know what it was that time. He began to head back down to determine who was going where, leaving Legolas stand there.

_'I coudn't tell him that I was beginning to feel nauseous. Since elves do not feel sickness, Aragorn would have insisted I stay out of the battle tonight. For some strange reason, I feel like I have to fight tonight. As if I have to prove something,'_ Legolas thought to himself.

He began to head after Aragorn and realized that the man was in just as bad shape as he was in.

00000

Legolas and Gimli looked around at the men who were forced to get ready for the upcoming battle. Legolas was feeling a great sense of claustrophobia well up within him. He was almost to rushing out of the room, it was so overwhelming.

Argorn was nearby, talking to himself about the types of people who were getting ready.

"These are no soldiers," Aragorn was saying.

"Many have seen too many winters," Gimli said.

"Or too few," Legolas put in. "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes."

Almost immediately, all eyes were on Legolas. He turned around, away from Aragorn and some of the others.

'And they should be. 300... against 10,000?' Legolas said in Elvish.

'They have a better hope defending themselves here than at Edoras,' Aragorn replied.

'Aragorn. They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!' Legolas cried out.

"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn angrily replied in the Common Tongue.

Legolas gave him a disbelieving stare before Aragorn began to walk out of the room. Legolas quickly blinked only once as he watched the man leave.

_'Why did I say that now?'_ Legolas asked himself. _'I didn't mean for that to come out, it just did. Or did I unconsciously mean to say it? I don't know but I have to go after him to apologize.'_

He began to head after Aragorn to apologize but Gimli grabbed him by the arm.

"Let him go lad. Let him be," Gimli told him. "Give him some time to calm down."

Legolas turned to look at Gimli. He hesitated for one moment before starting to head out of the room.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gimli called after him.

"I have to get some air," Legolas called back.

Gimli gently shrugged his shoulders, allowing the elf to leave.

00000

Legolas made his way through the crowd of people, hoping to find a more secluded area. He soon found one in the same room he found refuge in earlier. He leaned against the wall and began to slide down it. The pain was returning and it was greater than ever.

"Why is it coming back now? I can't be worried about this and the battle tonight," he quietly wondered.

But before he could wonder about anything else, an excruciating pain suddenly shot through his back. He cried out, unable to stand it. He took notice that even though pain crept all over, it was centered on two vertical areas on his back, just under his shoulders. He reached around to see if anything was there but what he found more than what he was expecting. His hand moved up and down the area, making him more worried than ever.

"What is going on here?" he asked.

He had come across - something - coming out of his back and it didn't appear to be stopping.

TBC...


	8. The Arrival of the Archers

Aragorn stepped away from the young boy and down one pathway, heading back to the armory. His mind was heading back to the conversation he recently had with Legolas. He kept thinking through what each of them said. He sighed as he began to regret wwhat was said.

"Legolas, we've been friends for too long to let something like this get in the way. We shouldn't have acted the way we did," Aragorn muttered to himself.

He mind was still elsewhere when he heard a yell coming from one of the rooms. He rushed to the door and slammed it open to see Legolas huddled in the corner, trembling. Aragorn knelt beside the shaking elf, who barely took notice of Aragorn.

"Legolas, what is wrong?" Aragorn asked him.

Legolas quickly lifted his head to face Aragorn. The elf tried to back away from Aragorn, making the man even more curious.

"What is the matter? I am not going to hurt you," Aragorn told him.

"Get away from me. I don't want to hurt you," Legolas cried out.

Legolas stood up and stared Aragorn, who also took to standing.

"Legolas, what is it that scares you so much? What don't you want me to find out?" Aragorn asked him. "Are you sure you can fight tonight? I don't think you are in any condition to do anything."

Aragorn watched as Legolas began to calm down a little. Legolas placed a hand on his forehead.

"Aragorn, I would like to deal with this problem by myself. This doesn't concern you," Legolas quietly said.

"That's right, it doesn't. One of my best friends is seeing elves who have been dead for years, attacking his friends and allies for no apparent reason and he is in some sort of pain that he will not discuss with anyone. I think I have a right to be concerned about a friend. I think if your father knew about this, he'd be very upset with you," Aragorn told him. "I even think that if your sister knew about this, she'd be the same way."

"Leave my family out of this. It doesn't concern them," Legolas retorted.

"Of course it does! If my brother was going out of his mind, I'd want to know about it," Aragorn replied.

"Leave me alone! I will not be locked up tonight!" Legolas cried out before bolting.

Aragorn watched as hs friend burst out the door. He sighed as he thought about Legolas, trying to get away from him.

_'I can't imagine what he's going through right now. I just he'd let me help him find out what's wrong,' _Aragorn though to himself.

00000

Legolas ran out the door and past the people. He ran to the top of the wall and stared out across the land. The claustrophobia that had been welling up inside of him was about to explode. He placed his hands over his ears, hoping that it would go away.

"Please leave me alone!" he cried out.

Blood pounded through his head for what seemed like an eternity before it slowly subsided. He gasped for air as he brought his hands back down.

"Who will finally tell me what this happening? I don't want to bring Aragorn or Gimli into this mess. I don't even know how I got into it myself," Legolas quietly told himself. "These feelings come and go like the wind."

His stare switched from between Helm's Deep and the open plains before him, as the darkness started to overcome the land.

"What have I done?" Legolas wondered.

He hurried back to search for Aragorn, hoping to make amends with his friend.

00000

Haldir was leading the elves towards Helm's Deep. His stare was continually heading back to Nanaylia, who was doing a great job of hiding amongst the others in his mind.

_'I guess she's had a lot of practice when it comes to hiding,' _he thought to himself.

He dropped back and he felt a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry about me until we get there. I'll explain once we arrive," her voice barely told him.

Haldir was a bit surprised with this but he knew he shouldn't have been.

_'What does she mean by the now? I guess I'll have to wait and see what she has to say,' _Haldir thought to himself.

He stared in the direction Helm's Deep was located. His mind went to Legolas and how he must be doing.

"After what I've been told, I can't imagine what he's going through right now," Haldir quietly said to himself.

00000

Legolas walked into the room to see that Aragorn getting ready for the battle. He silently walked up to him and picked up Aragorn's sword, holding it out to him.

"You have led us this far, you have not led us astray. My actions were uncalled for. Forgive me. It was wrong of me to despair and to push away your help," Legolas told him.

"There is nothing to fogive Legolas. I only hope that you will talk to me about what's been bothering you," Aragorn replied.

"I am not quite ready to tell you what exactly is happening. I hardly even know myself but if I should have another one of these 'attacks', I would ask you not to leave me alone, no matter what I say or do. When I am in that state of mind, I can not control what I said or do," Legolas explained.

"I understand. After all, I have seen it first hand," Aragorn replied.

Both smiled at this comment as they heard someone walk into the room.

"If only we had time to get this thing adjusted," Gimli grumbled.

He dropped the chainmail to the floor as he looked at his friends. They each gave a small smile at the sight.

"It's a little tight across the chest," Gimli said. "Legolas, how are you feeling? I hope better after what happened earlier."

"I am feeling much better Master Dwarf. Thank you for your concern," Legolas said.

Suddenly, a horn could be heard blowing from outside. Legolas was slightly confused by this as he recognized it in the back of his mind.

"That is no orc horn," he said.

Aragorn and Legolas both hurried up the steps to see who was arriving.

00000

The Elven archers were making their way into Helm's Deep, gaining an ever growing number of onlookers. Haldir could see the surprise in some of their faces as he walked past them. He slowed down once he saw the king head towards them.

"How is this possible?" asked the king.

Theoden was not even trying to disguise his surprise one bit as Haldir bowed slightly.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between men and elves. Long ago, we fought and died together," Haldir started.

Haldir watched as Aragorn and Legolas walked into view.

"We have come to honour that allegiance," Haldir said with a smile. _'Well, that isn't a total lie. That's part of the reason we came.'_

"Haldir," Aragorn said.

Aragorn couldn't help but give the elf a hug. Haldir obviously wasn't expecting it. Nanaylia gave a small laugh and smile from where she was in the group.

_'I'm not going to let him live this down,' _she thought to herself.

Haldir gazed over Legolas. He wanted to see how the Mirkwood elf was doing since the last time they had met. Outwardly, Legolas seemed fine yet Haldir could sense something was really different about him.

"You are most welcome," Aragorn told him. "We are all glad to see you here."

"We are proud to fight alongside men once more," Haldir said.

00000

"We will have some of the archers along this wall right here. The others will be inside the wall," Aragorn was telling Haldir.

Haldir intently listened to what Aragorn had to say, not paying any attention to anything else. Legolas was walking behind him but he was sensing someone behind him. He stopped and turned around to see one of the Lorien elves following him.

"How may I help you?" he asked. "Is there something I can do for you?"

The young elf grew scared at the fact that he might be found out. He shook his head and immediately backed off. Legolas was slightly confused by this action. Haldir must have noticed for he turned around.

"Anything wrong Legolas?" he asked.

"One question: who is that young warrior there? He has been following me ever since you arrived," Legolas questioned.

Haldir had to give a smile once he saw who it was. He walked up to Legolas and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That is one of the newest Galadhrim. He recently finished his training and was very eager to come here to help fight. I told him that you were going to be here for he very interested in our Woodland kin," Haldir replied.

"That would be me," Legolas flatly said.

"Yes, it would be you. He is a bit shy to ask you anything though. Maybe after this battle is over, you could answer a few of his questions about Mirkwood?" Haldir wondered.

Legolas nodded his head. The explanation sounded legitimate enough but Legolas sensed that something was being hidden from him. Something that Haldir knew and didn't want to tell him. At least not yet.

_'What is it that you know Haldir? What is it that you don't want me to know?'_ wondered Legolas. _'I will ask you before we all leave this place.'_

00000

Nanaylia glanced around at the men surrounding her. Her eyes took to the walls around her.

_'I don't know how Legolas managed to survive in these walls for so long. I feel so claustrophobic right now,'_ she thought to herself.

She walked a little further down the path, where there weren't as many people about. She turned around to head back to find Haldir standing there.

"Haldir, how may I help you?" wondered Nanaylia.

"I suggest you stay with me for the time being. Following your brother around will not help him. After all, he still believes that you are back in Lothlorien," he told her. "That you have no idea what is happening to him."

"I know that. Thank you for not giving me away," Nanaylia replied. "And he doesn't realize how much I know about what is happening to him. I wish he knew."

"How can you help your brother if he knows your here?" he questioned her. "If he did, he'd just send to where the women and children are, in order to keep you safe. Trust me on one thing. He'll know soon enough about what is happening."

She nodded as she began to pace back and forth. Haldir watched her, a question on his mind.

"What did you want to tell me Nanaylia?" he finally asked.

"What? I did?" she absently said.

"Yes, you did. On the way here, you told me not to worry about you until we arrived and you'd explain why. What was it that you wanted to tell me?" Haldir explained.

"Oh yes. That. There's something you should know," she replied.

The look on Haldir's face turned to one of worry as he walked closer to her. He didn't want ayone to accidentally hear what they were about to say.

"I don't like the sound of that," he whispered.

"Please don't. It's something my father told me. A long time ago, when Middle-Earth was at war, the gargoyles were allied with Sauron against the Elves and Men," she finally told him.

Haldir was surprised with this news but he knew more was coming.

"The gargoyles are, to an extent, still allies of Sauron. He'd have to go them first but that's besides the point. The point is, if you see me hesitate at all, please try and snap me out of it," Nanaylia requested.

"Why is that now?" Haldir wanted to confirm.

"Orcs, Uruk-hai, goblins, wargs,what's the difference? They all still fight against us," Nanaylia replied. "There might be a very slim chance that I would want to help them."

"Help them? You have got to be kidding me!" Haldir protested.

"If I was, I wouldn't have told you. It probably won't happen. I've learned to control these feelings towards these creatures but I could very easily slip up. It would be the old instincts kicking back in. I know someone who hasn't had a chance to do this yet and I'm more worried about him. I'd be in no condition to help if I suddenlyslipped back into my other identity," Nanaylia replied.

Haldir knew what she was talking about as Aragorn hurried up them.

"Come! They are on their way!" Aragorn called to them.

Haldir and Nanaylia glanced at each other before following him.

TBC...


	9. Sudden Problems

Everyone silently stood at the posts, watching as the Uruk-hai slowly made their way. Haldir has made sure that Nanaylia was stationed right next to him. When questioned about it, he tried not to tell them too much, giving an obscure answer that made them all confused.

The marching grew ever louder, causing Legolas to be ever more at ease than what he was now. The darkness which the night brought gave him one sense of comfort which he still couldn't explain. It seemed that he almost embraced the night like he never had before.

"I hope that I am able to help him during this. I do not want to see him doing something stupid and that mistake cost him his life," Nanaylia whispered.

"I have a feeling you will tell him sooner or later. I am sure of it," Haldir quietly replied.

Nanayli nodded, her mind on several things and Haldir could tell. He could sense the distress in her rising until she started to back away. Haldir quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back into position beside him.

"Keep calm. These things are not your friends and never will be, no matter what your other senses are telling you," Haldir whispered to her. "You're not going anywhere as long as I'm around. I swore to your father that I'd keep you safe, no matter what."

"Thank you," she told him.

00000

"You couldn't have picked a better spot," Gimli muttered. "I can't see what's happening and I'm standing next to an elf who going through something which he won't say."

"Gimli, I chose not to tell you for a reason. Please do not bring it up the again for I do not wish to talk about until I am ready to," Legolas angrily told him.

Gimli was a bit surprised by this reaction but he decided to keep his mouth shut about the subject. The elf was still a bit touchy about it, even though he had finally asked for help.

"I think if that elven lass was ever here, she'd have your head. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side again. I don't think I'd want to see her again to be honest with you," Gimli mentioned.

Legolas was very surprised with the the remark. He was almost to growling as he drew closer to the dwarf.

"Bring up my sister again and I will be sure that she knows what you think of her. She might not like it," Legolas quietly told him.

"Your sister?" Gimli said, raising his eyebrows.

Aragorn walked up behind them and Legolas turned his head enough to look at him.

"By the luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night," Gimli mused.

Legolas glanced between Aragorn and the oncoming Uruk-hai as thunder boomed nearby. Rain was threatening to fall.

"Your friends are with you Aragorn," Legolas told him.

"Let's hope they last the night," Gimli said.

Aragorn leaned in closer to Legolas, hoping that none of the others would hear.

"Will you be alright? You really haven't been yourself in the past several days and you're still slightly injured," Aragorn wondered.

"I will be fine Aragorn. I am positive that nothing will happen until after the sun rises," Legolas quietly replied. "I am fine."

Aragorn didn't completely believe that, even before the words came out of the elf's mouth.

"Of course. What was I thinking? Take care my friends," Aragorn told them before walking away from them.

The thunder boomed again and the rain began to fall. Legolas felt the fury within him swell. He really wanted to get at those Uruk-hai more than ever.

Aragorn began to talk to the elves about the oncoming army. Roars could be hear in the distance and the tension began to rise.

"What's happening out there? Tell me!" Gimli demanded, jumping to try and see over the wall.

"Would you like me to describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" Legolas asked him.

Gimli began to laugh at the statement.

_'Well, at least he hasn't lost his sense of humour. I just hope what happened during the warg battle doesn't happen here. I'd hate for my life to be nearly taken by ssomeone I call a friend,' _Gimli thought to himself. "That was a good one Legolas. We have to look at the bright side at these times. Now let me at them!"

One of the Uruk-hai roared before they all started to pound their spears against the ground. The men readied their arrows as the pounding continued. That was until one of the men accidentally released his arrow, hitting one of them in the necks. It gasped once before falling to the ground.

'Hold!' Aragorn cried out in Elvish.

"Well, at least that wasn't me that did that," Nanaylia whispered to Haldir.

"Just be glad you didn't decide to start without me. I'd have your neck if you decided to prove something," Haldir replied. "Remember that."

"I'm just glad that you remember. If I remember right, not only did you promise my father to keep me safe, you promised Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn to keep me safe," she reminded him.

"Yes, I remember that now. You're not going to make me forget, are you?" he wondered.

"I'm not going to do that. I'm going to let you forget that I'm carrying your Lord and Lady's great-grandchild," Nanaylia replied.

Haldir gave her a disbelieving look and she gave a small laugh as they watched the Uruk-hai began to roar even more. They began to storm Helm's Deep.

Haldir and Nanaylia both notched their bows when he heard Aragorn say they should prepare to fire.

"Are you sure you can do this?" he asked Nanaylia.

"Yes, I can. I know I'm not as good as you or my brother but what I can do is alright. I can still hit the target," she replied.

From a distance, she heard her brother say something about the Uruk-hai's weak points. Gimli could tell that the elf seemed determined about something.

The elves fired their arrows, most hitting their targets.The few Uruk-hai wielding crossbows fired their weapons, hitting a few of the elves.

Haldir, out of the corner of his eye, saw one of the elves near him fall from the wall. Terrified that Nanaylia had gotten hit, he looked to see that the elf next to her was the one who received the bolt.

_'That was a close one,' _he thought to himself. _'I'm going to get some lecture if I get back to Lothlorien and she's injured in some way. Even more so if she happens to be dead.'_

She stayed right close to Haldir, knowing that she had to stay alive if she wanted to help her brother. She looked over at him.

The ladders were propped against the wall and raised up and the Uruk-hai climbed into the midst of the elves, menand one dwarf. Everyone began to attack the enemy.

All the while, Aragorn noticed that one of the Lothlorien elves was staying quite close to Haldir.

_'What is elf doing? I do not understand why he is doing that. I think Haldir knows a bit more than what he is letting on,'_ Aragorn thought to himself.

The man had been watching the elf as much as he could and it was only then that he noticed something: the elf seemed to be a bit more heavy than the others. He seemed more heavy than what was normal for a male elf.

_'That is most peculiar. I will ask when this battle is over,'_ Aragorn said to himself.

With that, his attention went back to the siege of Uruk-hai around him.

00000

Gimli thrust his axe into one of the creatures before him. He turned around to see Legolas standing near him.

"Legolas! Two already!" Gimli called to him.

"That's nothing. I'm on 17," Legolas called back.

"What? I'll have no pointy-eared outscoring me!" Gimli roared, attacking again.

"I'm glad my sister wasn't here to hear you say that. She'd have your head," Legolas told him.

_'She almost did have my head, back in Rivendell when I said something quite simliar. I am glad she isn't here,' _Gimli thought to himself. '_For she's also a pointy-eared, just like him.'_

Gimli watched Legolas as much as he could. The dwarf could tell there was something drastically different with the elf's fighting style.

_'He almost seems to be enjoying this. He never did before,' _Gimli noted to himself.

His mind went away from it as he soon found his way on top of the ledge, between two of the ladders, his count going up as he forced the Uruk-hai to the ground.

Aragorn was busy on the wall until he noticed a large group ofUruk-hai heading towards one section of wall. He told the archers to aim for them instead. They did so, killing several of them.

"Is this it? Is this all you can conjure Sarumon?" wondered Theoden.

What they weren't expecting were the explosives heading towards the wall from the middle of the group. They were placed in the drain. The two ran out as another, carrying a lit torch, headed for the drain.

00000

Haldir was busily killing as many as he could, ever watchful of Nanaylia nearby. He took notice that she was seemed calm about things as she almost stood next to him.

"What makes you think that you can't fight when the rest of us are?" Haldir asked.

"Because they're not attacking me," Nanaylia replied with a smirk.

Haldir took more notice that what she was saying was indeed true. Very few of the Uruk-hai were attacking her, mainly the elves and men.

"They see me as a gargoyle, Haldir, not as an elf," she confirmed. "I can take my time more than you until they decide to do something about me."

Haldir rolled his eyes as he watched her pull out her knives and began to attack them.

_'Which I hope doesn't happen. The fewer that go after her, the better,'_ Haldir thought to himself.

"Not that I'm not going to do anything to help, of course," she told him.

It was then that they heard Aragorn calling out to Legolas. She glanced to see an Uruk-hai heading towards the wall with torch in hand.

"Be prepared!" she called to Haldir. "We might have some trouble on our hands soon."

He nodded in reponse as he continued to fight yet preparing for the worst.

00000

Legolas heard Aragorn telling him to kill the Uruk-hai. He notched his bow and was ready to fire but something kept him back. Aragorn kept telling him but his arm wouldn't move.

_'Why can't I release this arrow?'_ he wondered.

He finally managed to release two arrows but it was too little too late as the Uruk-hai dived and that section of wall exploded into pieces.

Aragorn landed on the ground, stunned as was Gimli. Legolas couldn't believe that he allowed something like that to happen but he found he couldn't kill him. It seemed to Legolas that the creature was a friend. The elf stepped back, as pain started to come back. This time, it was not just in his back or his arms but his entire body.

"Why is this happening now? I was certain that it would not have come back until morning," Legolas stuttered.

His head began to ache as he began to step back. With the pain too overwhelming, he failed to notice how close he was getting to the edge of the wall and with that, he plummeted off the wall and landed on the ground in a heap.

TBC...


	10. Discoveries

Haldir heard the blast and turned to see the rock hurtling past him. He saw Aragorn on the ground nearby.

_'I wonder what happened to the Mirkwood siblings. I lost track of her several moments ago and the same with him,'_ Haldir thought to himself.

He fought through several of the Uruk-hai to see Aragorn was now rising from the ground.

"How bad is it?" Aragorn had to ask.

"Pretty bad," Haldir replied.

The two looked at the wall to see that the Uruk-hai were now starting to pour in, past the broken wall. Aragorn looked up to see Gimli near the egde of the broken wall, not noticing that Haldir was slowly creeping away from him.

"Aragorn, I'm coming," called Gimli.

The dwarf jumped off the wall, into the crowd of creatures.

"Gimli!" Aragorn cried out, stepping forward.

He glanced around him to finally see that Haldir was nowhere around him.

_'Where did he get to now? What is he looking for? I'll find him later and ask,'_ Aragorn thought to himself.

He hurried to help Gimli with the fight, charging in with the elves. He pulled the dwarf out of the puddle. They watched as the Uruk-hai continued their way inside.

"Where's Legolas?" wondered Gimli.

"I don't know but we can't search for him now. He's a grown elf, he can take care of himself," Aragorn replied.

In the distance, he could hear Theoden barking out orders to keep the place from being overrun. The king appeared to be shocked with what was happening.

00000

Haldir looked around the place, near the wall. He sensed something was drastically was wrong with Legolas. He killed a few Uruk-hai along the way as he soon spotted a familiar figure on the ground nearby.

"Oh no," he quietly said.

He hurried over to unconscious form to see that it was indeed Legolas. The elf's body was twitching and Haldir figured it was in part from what was happening to him. He pulled back the elf's sleeve slightly to notice the discolouration of the skin.

"This doesn't look good," he murmured to himself.

He place one of Legolas' arms around his neck, one of his own around the limp body and he slowly pulled the elf up. In the back of his mind, Haldir noticed something on Legolas' back as he wondered how he was going to get the elf into a safe place until two other elves hurried up to him.

'What happened to him?' they wondered in Elvish.

'I'll explain later. I need to get him inside,' Haldir replied.

The two nodded and began to make a path so Haldir could get Legolas inside. Haldir glanced back, in hopes he could see Nanaylia amongst the crowd they were leaving behind. In the back of his mind, he really hoped that nothing happened to her without him.

_'Her father's going to have my head, I know it for losing both his daughter and grandchild,'_ he thought to himself.

The three elves managed to make it to the doors leading inside. Haldir hurried in with Legolas before turning back to the two elves.

'Head back out without me. I'll be all right,' he told them.

The two nodded before hurrying out. Haldir watched them before heading towards a corner. He carefully placed Legolas onto the floor and hurried back to the door.

_'I sincerely hope I can find your sister. I know she can't help you but she knows a lot more about this than me. She should know how it feels,' _he thought to himself.

Haldir hurried out the door and headed back up to the ledge, hoping he could find Nanaylia. Almost immediately, he heard his name and couldn't believe his luck.

'To the Keep!' Aragorn yelled to him in Elvish.

Haldir nodded as he called his troops back. He continued to fight, not noticing the Uruk-hai heading towards him until it was almost too late. He gasped as the weapon headed towards him. But it never made contact. Barely. The Uruk-hai gasped out in pain before falling to the ground, revealing Nanaylia standing behind him.

"It's good to see you again. I thought something happened to you," Haldir told her.

"Not yet, it hasn't. These creatures haven't figured out yet that I'm not on their side. So I'm taking my time with them. But watch your back old friend. You're afraid of my father getting mad at you if something should happen to me? I don't want Lady Galadriel getting mad at me if something should happen to _you_," Nanaylia replied with a smile.

Haldir smiled back. It turned to one of horror as Nanaylia pulled out an arrow and notched it. She released it almost immediately and it struck one of the Uruk-hai coming up from behind him.

"Watch your aim. I think that was almost heading in my direction," he told her.

"Well excuse me for not being as good as you or my brother. I have my own strengths, as do you," she retorted. "Archery is not one of mine."

Haldir shook his head, giving a small laugh. Aragorn hurried up to him. He never took a second look at the elf standing next to him as Aragorn began to talk to Haldir.

"Are you all right?" Aragorn asked.

"Yes, I am. Thanks to one of my elves. If it wasn't for his quick actions, I would be dead right now," Haldir replied.

Aragorn glanced at the elf next to him before nodding.

"Head to the Keep. I'll take care of things up here," Aragorn told them.

Haldir nodded before taking the still hidden Nanaylia down the stairs. He watched as Aragorn headed into the crowd via ladder.

"Nanaylia, there's something I should tell you about your brother," he quietly said,.

"What's wrong with him?" she frantically asked.

"He's gotten worse. Right now, he's inside unconscious," he replied.

She started to quickly head inside but a hand grabbed her arm. Nanaylia stared at him for a moment.

"From here on out, you're not going anywhere without me," he told her.

"I need to get to my brother," she protested.

"I know you do but right now is not the best time," he told her.

He glanced to one side to see Aragorn and Gimli jumping onto the ramp, fighting the Uruk-hai. He led her back up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" she wondered.

"To help Aragorn and Gimli," Haldir replied. "I just heard the king tell them to get out of there."

Nanaylia nodded and she followed him. Haldir threw a rope down to Aragorn, who started climb up. Once up, Theoden called out to them.

"They've broken through! Get out of there! Fall back!" Theoden called out.

Aragorn, Gimli and the two elves began to hurry away from the scene. Aragorn soon realized that he hadn't seen Legolas since the wall was blown up. He was slightly worried that something might have happened to him.

The four hurried into the main hall. Aragorn looked around the room and saw a figure in the corner. Theoden looked in the same direction, narrowing his eyes.

"Who's that?" Aragorn wondered out loud.

He stepped towards the figure but an arm grabbed him as a growl was suddenly heard from the figure. Gimli noticed that the elf accompanying Haldir stepped forward, as if in total disbelief.

"Do not go near. You do not know how he is going to react," Haldir quietly told him.

Aragorn looked between Haldir and the other elf, who suddenly ran up to the person in the corner. He could hear the elf saying something but couldn't make out the words. A louder growl could be heard as the figure jumped onto the elf, pinning him to the ground. Haldir's eyes widened at the sight.

"By the Valar, I never expected this," he barely said.

Before them, was someone who looked like Legolas but didn't at the same time. It almost looked like he was in the middle of some sort of transformation. His skin had a slightly different complextion than normal and he had what looked like wings coming out of his back. Fangs were now visible in his mouth and the growling could be heard even louder. His clothes were now in tatters and his hair a mess. Haldir readied an arrow and released it. It landed in the creature's thigh and he yelped in pain. He slowly made his way back to the shadows and stayed there yet carefully watched the group.

"I wish this hadn't happened to him. He doesn't deserve this," Haldir mused as he walked over to Nanaylia.

He helped her to her feet and noticed that she had a hand on her chest. She appeared shocked with what just happened. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Aragorn stepped up to them, a slightly angry look on his face.

"Is that Legolas? You knew about this and you didn't tell us?" Aragorn demanded to know.

"Yes, I did know. But I couldn't say anything until I knew for certain that it was happening," Haldir replied.

"Whatever is happening to him, we must leave him. We cannot do anything to help him," Theoden said.

Nanaylia growled once she heard that. She grabbed one of her knives and advanced on the king. Haldir grabbed her and tried to hold her back.

"This won't help him," he told her.

"Let go of me! Let go of me! Let me at him! He can't say that about Legolas!" she cried out. "We cannot leave him!"

Aragorn was very surprised by this, as was Gimli and Theoden. Nanaylia pulled off the helmet and threw it on the ground.

"No one here can help Legolas. You can't help him and neither can I. The only person I think who can help him now is Mithrandir," she snarled at him.

"You know what has been happening to Legolas? How long have you known?" demanded Gimli.

"I didn't realize it until after you had left Lothlorien. This was the only way I could help him at all. It's progressing faster than what I anticipated. He shouldn't be changing this quickly," she protested.

Silence lingered in the air after that comment. The same question was on everyone's mind.

"Then what is he changing into?" Aragorn finally asked.

"Into one of them," Nanaylia reluctantly replied, turning to face the man.

She almost spat the sentence out and Aragorn noticed this. He wondered how bad it really was.

"'One of them'?" repeated Gimli.

Nanaylia glanced over at Haldir, wondering if she should tell them in front of Theoden. Haldir raised his eyebrows and hand slightly, indicating that it was her choice to tell them. She finally looked between them and sighed.

"Shentree did this to him. She and the others meant to do this to him for centuries. Looks like she finally did so outside Moria. He's changing into the same thing that she is. A gargoyle," she finally replied.

TBC...


	11. An Unexpected Reunion

"A gargoyle! That's impossible!" Gimli protested. "Elves cannot turn into gargoyles! Not even by magic!"

"No, it's not impossible and you're wrong. It is by magic that this is happening," Aragorn replied. "I should have seen this coming. Ever since the mines, I should have known that Shentree had done something to him."

Gimli glanced between everyone, somewhat confused. Theoden was more than surprised with the situation since he hadn't seen a gargoyle before. He looked between the elves and Legolas, who was not about to move anytime soon from his corner.

"How is this possible? Gargoyles are creatures of legend! They do not exist, if they had at all. If they had, there couldn't possibly be any left!" Theoden said.

"They exist all right. They've managed to stay alive for centuries although their numbers have dwindled dramatically over the centuries," Nanaylia replied. "Unfortunately for them, they have yet to deal with me. Shentree will pay for doing this to him."

She began to storm towards the door. Haldir grabbed her arm before she could go anywhere. She stared him down with an angry look but it did not phase him one bit.

"Let me go Haldir. I have to find her and make her pay for what's she's done to him," she snarled at him.

"And how do you propose you find her? She could be anywhere in Middle Earth by now after she left the Fellowship at the mines," Haldir replied.

Nanaylia pretended not to listen but she heard him anyway. She crossed her arms and snorted. She angrily stood beside him.

"You cannot help him if you are not around. Stay here with him, please. You're probably the only one who knows how to handle him with your previous experience," Haldir told her in a quiet voice.

"Listen to him. He knows what is best for you and Legolas at the moment," Aragorn agreed as he walked up to her.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. Behind them, Gimli was becoming a bit angry with the situation and Aragorn could tell. The man stepped away from the elves and stood beside the dwarf.

"And the three of you knew about this before now? Not that I knew her or himthat well. So why did you keep this information from us? We all could have benefited from it. Those other two gargoyles were one thing, this is another situation entirely," he wondered.

"We didn't want you to become alarmed. That and the fact that you probably would have continued to ask questions about them. We know something about them, not everything. I'll explain everything later, when Legolas is in his right mind," Aragorn replied.

Aragorn glanced over at Gimli before his stare returned to Nanaylia. Haldir was still trying to talk her out of heading after Shentree, despite all their attempts to stop her.

"I think now is the best time for some explanations," Aragorn replied.

He turned to Theoden, becoming angry himself. Haldir took notice of the pounding and began to help the others to barricade the door, leaving Nanaylia behind to keep an eye on Legolas. Not that she minded but she wanted to do nothing more than to head out, find Shentree and kill her.

"You're demanding explanations from me about Legolas but what about you? You had said this place would never fall while your men defend it! Your men still defend this place. They have died defending it!" Aragorn angrily told him. "Is there another way the women and children can get out of the caves?"

When no one answered him, he turned towards the king.

"Is there no other way?" he repeated.

"There is one passage that leads into the mountain. They won't get far, the Uruk-hai are too many," Gamling replied.

"Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass and barricade the entrance," Aragorn told him.

He turned towards Nanaylia, who was now standing in front of her brother. Legolas was still growling and it seemed that he was favouring his one leg, the arrow still embedded in him.

"Can you get him to move away from here?" he asked her.

"No, I can't. Not only will he not move, I do not want to risk the lives of these people. Legolas is too much of a threat to be around," she replied

"So much death has occured. What can we do against such reckless hate?" Theoden wondered.

Aragorn thought for a moment, trying to think of a reply.

"Ride out with me," Aragorn finally told him. "Ride out and meet them."

"For death and glory?" Theoden asked.

"For Rohan. For your people. We need to keep them away from your women and children so that they can escape. We also need to keep them away from Legolas and Nanaylia. She needs time to deal with him and the situation he's in. They have a bond deeper than you realize and she knows more than what she lets on," Aragorn explained.

"The sun is rising," Gimli mentioned.

Aragorn looked up to see that the sun was indeed peeking through the window. Gandalf's words echoed through his head.

_'Look to my coming. At the first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east,' _he remembered Gandalf telling him.

_'Gandalf's coming. Maybe he can help Legolas with this! She said that he was probably the only one who could!'_ Aragorn thought to himself.

In the back of his mind, he heard Theoden talking. He heard the king saying that the horn of Helm Hammerhand was to sound in the Deep one last time. Aragorn listened to the king as he unsheathed his sword. He glanced over at Nanaylia, who was trying to figure out a way to deal with her brother. Legolas was keeping her from getting any closer than what she already was.

"She'll be able to deal with him," he heard someone quietly told him. "They'll be all right. They're both survivors."

Aragorn's stare now turned towards Haldir, who gave him a small smile. Aragorn gave a smile himself, believing the elf. Their horses soon galloped out of the building towards the Uruk-hai, leaving the brother and sister alone. She watched them leave before turning back to her brother, who had taken a defensive position.

"Why are you here?" Legolas snarled.

"I am trying to help you," she replied. "I know what you're going through."

"No you don't. You're an elf. Elves don't know the pain of being hated by everyone around them," he snapped back.

_'Oh my, he really believes that he is a gargoyle. What do I tell him now? I know that I cannot simply tell him the truth. At least not right away,' _she thought to herself. "What is your name then? I am curious to know for I have met a few gargoyles but not you."

"My name? That is a stupid question. My name is..." he started.

He stopped, his mouth open slighty. No words came out and this caused Nanaylia to smile. She knew that this would happen.

"I don't know my name," he finally replied. "How did you know?"

"I went through the same phase at one time, that's how I know," Nanaylia replied.

"I don't believe you! You are an elf! How could you possibly change into a gargoyle? I am still wondering how I got here. I was in the Dark Forest, next thing I know I wake up here and see strangers all around me," Legolas snarled back at her.

Nanaylia grew surprised at what he had said. She stepped towards him, causing him to back away, despite his injury.

"What did you just say?" she asked him.

"I was in the Dark Forest and I somehow ended up here," repeated the gargoyle.

Nanaylia growled as she began to look around the room.

"Where are you? I know you're here, now show yourself!" she yelled out.

A figure jumped down from the rafters and stepped before the elf. The two stared at each other. Nanaylia could feel the anger welling up inside her and she wanted nothing more than to kill her right then and there.

"Stop telling him all these lies Shentree. He's not yours to control," Nanaylia told him.

"Just because you decided not to stay with Banside, Sathed and myself, doesn't mean your brother has to make the same choice. He'll enjoy the life of a gargoyle, just like you did once, whether you want to believe it or not," Shentree replied.

"We're not your pawns. We never have been and we never will. You and your kind have been threatening my people for far too long," Nanaylia snarled.

"This coming from someone who was, at one time, under our control with no idea who she was. Just like someone else here in this room," Shentree told her.

Legolas had limped his way to Shentree's side. He was snarling at Nanaylia and she couldn't help but feel knots in her stomach.

"Face it, he's a gargoyle now. I know you are somewhat still but that's not the point. Your brother is lost to you, just like you were lost to him all those years ago. You cannot possibly help him for I will not die as easily as Manlin did! He let his guard down way too easily!" Shentree quietly said.

She lunged for Nanaylia, who jumped out of the way.

00000

Gandalf watched as the Uruk-hai began to flee from the battle scene. He sighed as he looked over at Aragorn. He narrowed his eyes as he glanced over at Haldir, who was coninually glancing over at one of the doors. The wizard rode over to the elf.

"You seem worried Haldir. What is the matter?" wondered Gandalf.

"I am worried... about Legolas and Nanaylia," replied Haldir.

Gandalf became slightly surprised at this comment. Haldir and Aragorn could tell that he was slightly confused with the situation.

"Nanaylia is here? Does she know what is happening to her brother? How does she know? How did she get here?" Gandalf demanded to know.

Haldir glanced around to see who was around and seeing that no one was close except Aragorn, he leaned in close to the wizard's ear.

"He's turning into a gargoyle. The transformation is nearly complete and Nanaylia says that you'd be the only one who can help him. She knows because she went through the same thing a long time ago," Haldir quietly explained.

Gandalf's eyes widened as he turned towards the door. From inside, screaming and growling could be heard. He hurried towards the door and opened it. Haldir, Aragorn and Gimli quickly followed him.

"Make sure no one comes inside," Gandalf told them without turning around.

The three nodded and stopped once they got to the door. Gandalf went inside and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Nanaylia appeared to be unconscious, lying face down on the floor with a strange gargoyle towering over her. Gandalf noticed that this new gargoyle had simliar features to Legolas and so figured that it must be him. It looked like he was ready to take her life as Shentree stood a few feet away, snickering at the whole scene.

TBC...


	12. Finding a Way Back

"Legolas, no!" cried Gandalf.

The gargoyle turned to look at the wizard and snickered.

"My name is not Legolas, as you say. My name is is Lecerne," the gargoyle told him. "I am a gargoyle, not an elf."

Gandalf was surprised as he looked over at Shentree, who shrugged her shoulders. Out of nowhere, an arrow flew into the room. It hit Shentree in the shoulder and she shrieked in pain. Another arrow found its way into the room and it hit Legolas, or rather Lecerne as he called himself, in the shoulder. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground beside Nanaylia.

Gandalf turned to see Haldir walking into the room. The elf headed towards Shentree, who began to back away. Haldir knelt beside the gargoyle and pinned her down by the throat.

"Change him back!" he demanded.

"I can't even if I wanted to. It's not that easy or do you remember how a certain Elven princess changed back to her Elven form?" she replied.

"Why not?" wondered Gandalf.

"The only way to change him back is to kill me," Shentree angrily replied. "That's how Nanaylia changed back all those years ago, when Legolas killed Manlin."

"Believe me, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you," Haldir angrily told her. "Yet after the torture that you've already put them through, I feel death would be too good for you."

Gandalf glanced over at the Mirkwood siblings on the floor nearby and began to walk over to them. Once he reached Nanaylia's side, he heard Lecerne move on his other side.

"She will die, as will you. This won't stop me. My injuries will heal and then I will be back after you," the gargoyle told him.

Gandalf could sense the pain in the gargoyle's voice. He turned to look at him.

"I have a feeling that she won't die and neither will you," Gandalf told him. "Don't you remember anything?"

"Remember what? I am a gargoyle. I have always been a gargoyle. I remember all that I need to know. All my memories are of being a gargoyle," Lecerne spat back.

Gandalf turned back to Nanaylia, who began to stir. He placed a hand on her shoulder as she began to lift herself up. Tears were falling down her face as Aragorn and Gimli ran into the room.

"What happened in here?" demanded Gimli.

Aragorn stepped towards Gandalf and Nanaylia, taking notice of the gargoyle beside them. Both Aragorn and Gandalf helped her to a sitting position. She leaned against the wall, not able to look at her brother.

"There's nothing we can do to help him?" Aragorn asked her.

"Nothing short of killing Shentree," she replied.

She glanced to one side, remembering something. She pointed over to a bag in the corner. Aragorn looked in that direction and saw it as well.

"That's my book! I need to get my book. There might be something in it to help him," she said.

Aragorn hurried over and grabbed the bag. He heading back over to her and handed her the book. She rummaged through it until she found what she was looking for. Gandalf narrowed his eyes once he saw it. He seemed to recognize it in the back of his mind.

"Where did you get that?" he asked.

"I claimed it as my own after Manlin was killed," she replied. "I just hope I can understand this fast enough. I am still too unfamiliar with this Elvish.

"May I take a look at it?" he wondered, holding out his hand. "I will help you find what you are looking for. I do believe that you are not in the best condition to help your brother. Maybe I can read this better than you can."

She reluctantly handed over the book. Aragorn stayed by her side as Gandalf stood up and faced Lecerne. He flipped through the book, amazed at what it had to say. He glanced over at Nanaylia before changing his stare to her brother.

"I don't believe it. I simply don't believe it," he muttered.

He walked over to Nanaylia and knelt down beside her. She became worried at the slightly sad look on his face.

"What is wrong Mithrandir?" she asked.

"You want me to help your brother, correct?" he wondered.

"Why do you ask that? Of course, I do. I feel that you're the only one that can help him," Nanaylia replied, disbelief in her voice. "Please help him?"

She stared at him for a moment with a dejected look.

"You cannot help him, can you?" she realized. "Please, if you can, then do so. His life depends on you."

Gandalf sighed and gave a small nod.

"What are you doing?" demanded Shentree. "What is in that book of Manlin's? That book should be rightfully mine!"

"This book is not yours and it will never was yours. It's going to stay right where it is, in the possession of the royal family of Mirkwood. It is rightfully theirs more than it is yours," Gandalf replied.

He didn't even bother to turn around as he flipped through the pages. He stopped at one page and glanced at Lecerne.

"Watch out everyone. I do not know what exactly is going to happen," Gandalf warned everyone.

He began to say something in a foreign tongue. At least to Haldir, Aragorn and Gimli it seemed foreign. Nanaylia seemed to recognize it but she didn't know how. She tried to decipher it but she couldn't. A wind began to pick up in the room. Aragorn made his way over to Nanaylia and took her into an embrace as the wind picked up even more.

"This can't be happening!" Shentree cried out.

The gargoyle tried to climb to her feet but was stopped yet again by Haldir, who was trying his best not to be blown over.

"I don't think you're going anywhere. When I finally see you dead, I will not be missing you," Haldir quietly told her.

Yet the wind was too strong, even for Haldir as he was blown against the wall. Gimli was blown against the wall himself. Aragorn stayed with Nanaylia, covering her from any effects of the spell.

Lecerne was not faring as well as the others. He was getting the full force of the spell Gandalf was performing.

"What are you doing?" demanded Lecerne.

"Giving you a part of your old life back," Gandalf replied.

Lecerne screamed out as a bright light engulfed the room. Everyone had to shield their eyes.

00000

Aragorn opened his eyes and glanced around the room. He found himself leaning against the wall next to Nanaylia, who had her eyes closed. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she made no reaction. Lecerne was lying unconscious on the floor with Gandalf standing over him.

"How is he Gandalf? Is he going to be all right?" Aragorn wondered.

"Time can only tell. Either that or Nanaylia tells us when she awakens," Gandalf replied. "It has been a long time since I have seen this type of magic. Even when I had seen it, I was unable to use it."

He stood up and walked over to the wizard. He glanced at the arrows still embedded in Lecerne's skin. Aragorn noticed that the bleeding had pretty well stopped. He considered taking them out but was worried about further bleeding.

"You can take them out. They won't do him any further harm if you take them out," came Gandalf's voice.

Aragorn was still nervous as he pulled them out. What surprised him was that no more blood came from the wounds. He stared at Gandalf with a curious look.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I just knew. I cannot explain it at the moment," Gandalf replied.

Soon, Gimli was rousing as well as Haldir. Shentree was not so lucky as they were. She was barely breathing and not moving.

"How is this possible? How were you able to use this magic now when you couldn't before?" Aragorn wondered.

"I shouldn't say what is on my mind for fear that it might not be true. Let me just say that I believe someone is coming and they're coming soon. Someone who can explain everything better than what I can," Gandalf told Aragorn.

Nanaylia opened her eyes and looked over at Aragorn and Gandalf. She climbed to her feet and walked over to them.

"Legolas?" she said, placing a hand on his arm.

When she got no answer, she moved her hand up to his face.

"He's changing back to an elf. I can feel it," she sighed.

"Considering that this has never happened before, how are you able to tell that?" Gimli demanded.

Everyone stared at him, realizing that Gimli hadn't been told part of the story, let alone the whole thing. Aragorn glanced at Nanaylia, who stood up and walked over to the dwarf.

"That is where you are wrong dwarf. You think that this has never happened before?" she asked him.

She grabbed him by the neck and he couldn't help but take notice of the obvious change on her arm.

"Then how do you explain that? I easily saved your lives by warning you that Shentree was after you in the first place. Some or all of you could have easily been killed," she explained.

Gimli stared at her, realizing the truth behind her words.

"You're Narcissis," he gasped.

"You'd better believe it. You don't know the pain I went through when transforming back into an elf and he will feel that same pain," she replied.

She released Gimli as she headed back to her brother. She knelt beside him, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Legolas, can you hear me?" she asked him.

As if he heard her, his eyes began to move. He opened them slightly, making Gandalf and Nanaylia wonder if he recognized them. He slowly lifted a hand and placed it on her stomach.

"What does that mean?" Gimli wondered.

"It's my child. He knows I'm with child! It's a start," she said before she grabbed her bag.

She held out her hand towards Gandalf. Realizing what she wanted, he handed her the book.

"Now what do we do?" Aragorn wondered. "Since this doesn't happen too often, I'm a bit unsure what to do."

"_We _won't be doing anything. _I'll_ be taking Legolas away from here until he is an elf again," she replied.

"Why is that now?" Haldir wondered.

"I remember what happened when I turned back into an elf. Most likely, the same thing will happen to him. There're too many people here and it's best if I go with him. Too many already know as it is. No one should see him when he changes back besides me," she explained.

Aragorn began to think about something, remembering something that Thranduil, Legolas, Nanaylia and the twins all had told him.

"What does that mean?" Gimli demanded to know.

"He's going to be mortified when he finds out Gimli and Theoden have seen him as a gargoyle," Aragorn finally said.

Gimli, Gandalf and Haldir all stared at him. The elf quickly realized what Aragorn was trying to say.

"Thranduil didn't want everyone to know about this," Haldir mused.

"Everyone to know? You think that we're everyone?" Gimli asked.

"Until this past night, Aragorn was the only person besides a tiny handful of elves from three realms to know about what really happened the day that Legolas and his father believed Nanaylia had died. I won't go into details for I will respect their wishes not to tell everyone. They will tell you when given the chance," Haldir explained.

He glanced over at Nanaylia, who nodded. A search began for a horse. One was soon found and Nanaylia climbed onto it. They put Legolas onto it in front of her and they covered him with some blankets. She glanced at Aragorn standing next to them.

"You know what's best for him. I hope to see you soon," he told her.

"Not for several days. Just to let you know, it is not that I don't trust you with helping my brother, it's just that it might be slightly embarrassing for him. Now could you hand me my bag?" she replied.

"We will keep an eye on Shentree until your return. I am unsure what to do with her. What you want to do with her," Aragorn told her.

"I am a bit unsure myself but most likely she'll find a way to escape us. She's always been like that," Nanaylia replied.

He picked the bag up and handed it up to her. Along the way, it opened slightly, revealing its contents to Aragorn. He quickly glanced up at her as she quickly closed it. She began to lead the horse out of the room. Aragorn watched them leave now understanding a bit more why she went with him and no one else.

TBC...


	13. The Waiting Game

Gandalf stepped up to Aragorn, who was watching the horse head into the distance.

"You're worried about them, aren't you?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes, I am. I've seen the effects of someone being turned into a gargoyle because of Nanaylia and it's not pretty. Now Legolas has to go through the same thing. Even though he hasn't had the same exposure as she has, will he have to go through the same thing she will?" Aragorn explained.

Gandalf thought about his answer for a moment before turning to face Aragorn.

"I do believe so actually. The same magic was used against him and is now within them both. I believe that he will have to learn how to control it, just like what she has had to do. I know I haven't seen her for centuries, I can tell that she has gained an amount of control of the magic within her.," Gandalf told him.

"Even though it was not by choice," Aragorn put in. "Manlin wanted both of them to be changed into gargoyles, it's just that he only got her. I guess he finally caught up with Legolas, through Shentree."

Aragorn sighed as he heard someone walk up behind them. The two turned to see Gimli standing behind them.

"What?" Gimli said.

The dwarf glanced between them before taking a defensive position.

"Can't a dwarf be worried about a friend?" he demanded.

Both Aragorn and Gandalf gave a small laugh at this reaction. The dwarf walked up beside them as they turned backin the directionthe horse went in. The animal was now completely out of view.

"Yes, you can be for we both are worried about him as well. I know a few things about the gargoyles from knowing those two and their father these past several years. Thranduil knows more about them than anyone else I have ever met. I never even heard of gargoyles until well after I met him and Legolas," Aragorn explained.

"I know about the many different races in Middle Earth. I knew that gargoyles once thrived here but greatly dwindled over the millenia. I never knew why that happenedand I never met one until just recently. I thought they had all disappeared. I never expected to discover that a small band still resided in the forest of Mirkwood," Gandalf replied.

"While we're on the subject of gargoyles, what of Shentree?" Aragorn asked. "How is she doing?"

Gandalf didn't answer right away. He stared off ino the distance, wondering how he should give his reply.

"Gandalf, what's wrong?" Aragorn wondered, becoming slightly worried.

"She is gradually getting better. It is partly a good thing since we need her to answer a few questions, if we can. Something that confuses me, is her reaction from earlier. She said the book belonged to her, not the Mirkwood siblings. What confuses me even more is that after the spell was performed, the life was nearly taken out of her. I have to wonder why for I am a bit unfamiliar with the magic in that book. What I do know is that the magic in that book of Nanaylia's doesn't affect anyone that it is not directed at. Nor can just anyone perform it," Gandalf began to say.

"Then how were you able to use it if everyone can't use it?" Gimli asked. "That sounds quite strange if you ask me."

"I know it does and I'm not quite certain myself. That's why I have to question the lineage of Legolas and Nanaylia, the children of Thranduil. I know their father well but what of their mother? I did not know her quite well and I never did find out what kind of Elf she was," Gandalf told him.

"Their mother has been dead for some time now Gandalf. I've been told that Legolas and Nanaylia were quite young by Elven standards when she died. I thought you would've known that," Aragorn told him.

Gandalf pondered at the comment. He turned around and headed back inside, leaving a very confused Gimli and Aragorn behind. They shrugged their shoulders at each other, not knowing what to make of it. Haldir passed Gandalf on his way outside. He became slightly confused as he glanced at the wizard.

"What's wrong with him?" Haldir wondered.

"He's wondering on Legolas and Nanaylia's parentage. Seems the magic in that book of Nanaylia's can't be used by everyone. He never said who could use it though. I think he somehow believes that Nanaylia and Legolas are two elves who are able to use it but I don't know how. I think all they'd have to do is study it, just like Manlin did," Aragorn replied.

Haldir raised an eyebrow before placing a hand on his chin. Aragorn and Gimli watched him carefully.

"What's the matter?" Gimli asked. "You think you might know the answer?"

"I can't explain it either but I can rule out one thing," Haldir finally said.

"And what would that be?" Gimli said. "That they're not who they say they are?"

"I have known the royal family of Mirkwood for quite a long time. I knew their mother and father long before they were born. I think there's only one thing that Mithrandir would be questioning about their mother and it's not possible," Haldir replied.

"Why is it not possible?" Aragorn wondered.

"Their mother was as normal as any other elf. Nothing out of the ordinary surrounded her at all. She never got along well with Manlin but that's besides the point. So I can't explain anything else about her. Unless she was hiding something from everyone. I guess we were all fooled then," Haldir told them.

"What would she possibly be hiding, especially from her own family?" Aragorn wondered.

"I don't know unless - no! Could it be them? No, it can't be them, they've never existed. My mind has been thinking strange ideas these past few days," Haldir said, immediately lowering his voice.

"What? Who's never existed?" Gimli wanted to know. "Tell us!"

Haldir gave them a smile before turning around and began to head back inside. Aragorn hurried up to him and grabbed his shoulder.

"What aren't you telling us? Is there something about Legolas and Nanaylia that you're not saying?" Aragorn asked.

"I don't know too much more about those two than what you do. I know a bit more than what you do since I'm a little older but I am serious about this. Believe me, please. I don't know anything different than what you or I know," Haldir replied. "It's only a theory I have but I don't want to elaborate since I don't want anyone else getting any ideas. Legolas and Nanaylia are the same as we've always known them but with a little something extra because of a certain elf or gargoyle. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to see the king. I have to let him know what's going on before heading to get something to eat."

"Aren't you going to head back to Lothlorien soon?" Aragorn asked. "I mean, most of your surviving troops have already left."

"Without Nanaylia? Her father wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I arrived in Lothlorien alone," Haldir explained. "I'm staying here until she returns with her brother, then _we_ are heading back to Lothlorien."

Aragorn gave a small laugh but it soon stopped. There was a thought at the back of his mind that wasn't going to let him rest one bit.

_'What was Haldir talking about when he said they never existed?' _he thought to himself.

His thoughts went back to Legolas and his current condition. He began to think about something before hurrying away from Gimli.

"Where are you going?" Gimli called out.

"I have to go find someone and I have to find them quickly," Aragorn replied.

The dwarf was now alone and slightly confused. He glanced from side to side at the empty area around him.

"Everyone's gone except for me. Now what am I supposed to do? Wait it out I guess. It's the only thing I can do at the moment," he muttered.

He began to head inside, looking for someone who would actually talk to him.

00000

Nanaylia rode into the forest, wondering where she should go with her brother.

_'There's only so many places you hide a gargoyle transforming back into an elf. I was lucky enough to be at home, with Lord Elrond watching over me the entire time. Legolas has to deal with this in a forest far from home and with me. I can only comfort him,'_ she thought to herself.

As luck would have it, she passed by a cave. She helped Legolas off the horse and into the back of the somewhat large cave.

"Legolas, can you hear me?" she said to him.

His eyes were wide open but he wasn't saying anything. His stare soon came to her and the fear in his face began to dwindle. His body relaxed and he seemed to be drifting into a sleep. She took notice that his eyes were beginning to close.

"Do you recognize me Lego?" she asked him. "I can't help you if you do not talk to me."

He opened his eyes slightly and stared at her. She placed a hand on his cheek.

"Nanay," was all he said before closing his eyes again.

He fell into a deep sleep. Nanaylia sighed as she leaned against the rock wall.

"It's a start but it's going to be a few more days of this. Maybe Aragorn should have known where we are. Then he could have checked up on us," Nanaylia quietly told herself.

Her stare turned towards the cave entrance and realized that they could easily be found by the wrong person. She walked to the entrance of the cave and looked around the area. She lifted up her arm, the immediate surroundings changing before her eyes through her will.

"There we go. Now no one will be able to find us unless I want them to. We can see out but they can't see in," she quietly said.

She heard a groan coming from Legolas and she was quickly as his side. His one hand was now placed on his injured shoulder. She groaned herself for she never thought of his injuries. She saw them but they didn't register. She realized they were trying to deal with his injuries before she dragged him out of there.

"I was so worried about getting him out of there because of something else, I forgot about these. Now I wish Aragorn knew where we were. He would know how to take care of these," she said.

She took a blanket out of her bag and placed it over her brother, knowing that he would be a bit cold.

"Everything will be fine Legolas," she quietly told him.

00000

A lone figure on a horse headed into the forest. He knew what he was doing and no one knew that he was doing this. He had enough time to grab a few things and put them into a bag before running off since he didn't want anyone to know what he was doing. The horse ran to the edge of the trees and its rider slowed down a bit.

"Now where could two Elven siblings be now? Where are you two? I just want to help," he barely said.

He climbed off the horse and soon found the tracks of the other horse.

"At least I found your path. Now to find where you've ended up in here," he said.

He climbed back onto the horse and began to follow the tracks into the forest.

TBC...


	14. Recognition

Gandalf hurried through Helm's Deep. He appeared to be searching for someone as he walked past the crowds of people. He was slowly getting frustrated as he he couldn't find who he was looking for. He soon walked inside. Gandalf looked at Theoden, who was sitting in his chair, and Haldir, who was standing next to him. They both stopped talking and glanced over at him.

"What is the matter Gandalf?" Theoden asked him.

"Have either of you seen Aragorn?" he wondered.

The two glanced at each other before shaking their heads.

"I was talking to him earlier, after you were but then I left amost immediately afterwards. I have not seen him since then," Haldir replied.

"I have not seen him at all since the battle," Theoden told him. "Why do you ask where he is?"

"I have a few questions that I need to ask him and I cannot find him. I guess I shall try and find Gimli and ask him," Gandalf sighed.

Almost immediately, footsteps were heard near the entrance of the room. Along with the footsteps, came a gruff voice.

"You don't need to look for me any further. Now what is it that you wanted to ask?" Gimli said.

"Have you seen Aragorn lately?" Gandalf asked him.

"No, I have not. He hurried off soon after Haldir left, saying he had to quickly find someone. I don't know where he went to or who he had to find," Gimli replied.

Everyone became slightly worried since no one knew where Aragorn was. Haldir hurried out the door, with Gimli and Gandalf following behind him.

"There's only so many places he could be while we're waiting for Legolas and Nanaylia to return," Haldir mused. "Where could he have go so quickly?"

Gandalf slightly gasped. Haldir and Gimli both wondered what the matter was as they glanced at each other.

"I really don't know but something tells me we won't be seeing him for a while," the wizard quietly said.

"What do you think he did then?" Haldair wondered.

"I don't know. All we have to do is wait. When he comes back is when he comes back and then he'll tell us what we want to know. We cannot make any assumptions with the little information we have," Gandalf told them

Haldir watched Gandalf walk back inside out of the corner of his eye. Gimli stood next to him. He almost appeared ready for another battle.

"It is probably going to be a while before you head back into battle Master Dwarf. All you can do now is wait for Aragorn to return," Haldir told him.

"I can only hope," Gimli growled. "If someone should come here before of after Aragorn shows up again, I'm going to be ready for them."

Haldir smiled at the comment before heading back inside himself.

00000

Nanaylia leaned against the rock wall. She glanced towards the entrance continually. A fear was growing in the back of her mind, that something or someone was coming after them. Her stare turned towards her brother. She could tell that the gargoyle form was already starting to disappear yet many things began to worry her that she hadn't thought about before.

"What have I done by not bringing someone else with? I was so worried about his dignity that I forgot about other things, like getting food and his injuries," she quietly said.

A noise outside the cave soon caught her attention. Intently listening, she slowly climbed to her feet and started to head towards the entrance. A horse found its way through the trees, carrying a very familiar rider. Nanaylia's mouth was soon hanging open as she recognized who it was. She stepped forward, causing the rider to gasp out in surprise.

"Aragorn, what brings you out here? I thought I told all of you to stay behind at Helm's Deep," she asked him.

"I figured that you needed some help, despite what you told myself and the others. I followed your tracks until here, which is where they stopped. I had been wondering for a moment where you went from here," Aragorn replied.

He climbed off his horse and walked towards her. He could see the tears in her eyes.

"Please forgive me Aragorn. I know what it feels like and I didn't want to see him around all those men when Legolas finally emerges from Lecerne. He will be mortified once he finds out the Gimli and Theoden have already seen him as a gargoyle. I couldn't deepen his humiliation by leaving him there," she apologized.

"There is nothing to forgive. A sister's love should be taken seriously," Aragorn told her. "I've seen the two of you in action before and I wouldn't want to ever get in your way. Now where is he?"

"He's inside the cave," she replied.

Aragorn looked in the direction she came from and raised his eyebrows slightly in bewilderment. Nanaylia realized that the cave was still hidden from view. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the cave. Once inside, he looked back outside.

"Nice. No one can see inside, but you can look out. I should have figured that out," Aragorn said.

He turned to see that Nanaylia was already at Legolas' side. He hurried up to his friend and glanced at the shoulder injury.

"These injuries should have been taken care of earlier but I do believe I understand why you had to get him out of there so quickly," Aragorn told her.

She nodded as she watched him place a hand on Legolas' shoulder. In the blink of an eye, a hand roughly grabbed Aragorn's wrist.

"Don't touch me," came a raspy voice.

The gargoyle managed to stand up, while still holding onto Aragorn's arm. He began to dig in his claws into the skin. Aragorn tried to draw his arm back once he felt the pain start but the gargoyle known as Lecerne tightly held onto him. Aragorn glanced down to see that Legolas was cutting into the skin and drawing blood.

"Legolas?" Aragorn questioned.

The gargoyle stared at him, as if studying him. The grip loosened from around Aragorn's wrist and he shook it to get the feeling back into his hand. He wiped the blood away as he stepped towards his friend.

"A-Aragorn?" came the familiar voice. "Is-is that you?"

He looked around the area and grew quite surprised at his surroundings.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"You are in the forest near Helm's Deep. Nanaylia brought you here in order to save you some humiliation," Aragorn replied.

The gargoyle turned around and slowly headed to the back of the cave. He cowered in the corner and Aragorn could tell that he was shaking all over.

"You are lying. Just leave me alone and let me die. I want to be with my sister," Lecerne said with a slight growl.

Aragorn glanced over at Nanaylia, who was giving him a look that said 'sound familiar?' all over. Aragorn sighed for it did. The two walked over to Legolas and he fell unconscious into their arms. They lowered him to the ground, onto his back. Aragorn looked over him and soon grabbed the blanket to place over him.

"Maybe you should leave while I take care of Legolas'..." Aragorn began.

Nanaylia grabbed his good wrist and gave him a slighty annoyed look.

"Aragorn, why do you think that _I_ brought him here in the first place. _I_ know what's going to happen to him and it's because I've already seen my brother. I know what he looks like Aragorn," Nanaylia interrupted. "You do what you have to do. I'm staying."

Aragorn sighed in defeat before attending to Legolas' injuries.

00000

Some time later, Aragorn walked up to Nanaylia, who was sitting near the entrance of the cave.

"He'll be fine. We better be watchful for infection for it may still set in," Aragorn told her.

He glanced at her and saw that she was paying no attention to him. He sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Things were silent for what seemed like an eternity. Aragorn began to bandage his wrist, deciding to remain quiet.

"I wish Elrond were here. He would know what to do," Nanaylia suddenly said.

"What? Elrond?" Aragorn questioned, feeling slightly insulted.

"Not with his injuries, I know you can take care of them. It's his gargoyle form I'm more worried about. Elrond watched over me day and night until I finally changed back into an elf. Through Lady Galadriel, he warned me of a few things that would happen but I still wish that he were here to help," she explained.

Aragorn didn't say anything as he glanced back at Legolas, who was quietly sleeping in the back of the cave.

"Now it all makes sense. Legolas seemed so different from the time we left Lothlorien until we arrived at Helm's Deep," Aragorn told her.

"Attacking friends? Seeming to change sides for no apparent reason? Times where he looked like he was in pain? Hallucinations?" Nanaylia listed off.

"Yes. Should have figured that you would know," Aragorn agreed. "There's one question I have for you."

"What is it?" she wondered.

"As I was checking Legolas, I came across this mark on his lower back. What is it?" Aragorn asked her.

"Birthmark. We both have one," she replied.

"Birthmark? Elves can have birthmarks? I never knew this let alone know that you or Legolas had one," Aragorn questioned.

"It is very rare but we can. I've always found it kind of strange that both Legolas and I had one and in the same spot even," she explained.

Aragorn narrowed his eyes at her. Nanaylia could tell that he didn't quite believe her so she turned her back towards him and lifted up the tunic she was wearing. Aragorn moved it a bit more so he could see and saw what she was talking about. He became confused.

"Nanaylia, has anyone ever told you that these marks are nearly identical in size and colour?" Araorn asked her.

"Either I never really took notice and I don't remember anyone ever telling me. They are similar?" she replied.

Aragorn nodded, watching as she turned her head to try and look at the mark on her own body. Once she did, she hurried over to her brother. Coincidentally, he was lying on his side and she stared at the mark on his back.

"What is happening? What's wrong?" Aragorn wondered.

"I never knew that they were so similar. I knew I had one from Legolas telling me and I knew he had one from actually seeing it but I never knew. I cannot explain it," she told him.

She soon sensed Legolas moving beside her. Aragorn placed a hand on the hilt of the sword in the event he needed it. Legolas slightly opened his eyes and stared at her.

"Nanaylia," he wispered. "Everything hurts so much. Why?"

"You're injured. You are also changing. The combinationis why you are hurting so much," she replied.

"Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone," Legolas asked of her, grabbing her shoulder.

"I won't leave," she told him.

As she sat down next to him, the rustling of leaves caught her attention. She snapped her head towards the entrance of the cave, intently listening. Aragorn turn to follow her stare and saw what she was so worried about. About a dozen or so of the Uruk-hai had escaped the clutches of the Ents and were now wandering the woods, looking for anything they may find.

"They could come inside. Stay here with Legolas. I will take care of them," Aragorn told Nanaylia.

"But there's too many of them and they haven't found us yet," she protested.

"I should do something before they do find us. In here, you're at more of a disadvantage. I will lead them away from here. Remember that I'm here to help you," Aragorn replied before running out of the cave.

"Aragorn!" screamed Nanaylia.

TBC...


	15. Explain and Divert

Aragorn ran outside, much to Nanaylia's protests. He began to attack the several Uruk-hai that were there. He had successfully killed most of them when he looked over his shoulder and saw that one of them was making its way towards the cave.

"No!" he cried out.

Unable to get away from the few still left alive, he couldn't get to the one as making its way into the cave. He walked up to the two siblings and snorted as he looked over them. He walked over to her and began to raise his sword over his head.

Nanaylia quivered in fear as she watched him approach. She shut her eyes, waiting for the inevitable attack but she didn't feel anything. What she heard what a different story. Snarling came and so did a cry of pain. She opened one eye to see her brother standing in front of her, gasping for air. On the ground before him, was the dead Uruk-hai.

"Legolas!" she cried, hurrying up to him.

She stood by his side before he fell to his knees, grasping his shoulder. She knelt beside him and saw that he was trying to look away from her. From the corner of her eye, she could see that his shoulder injury had begun to bleed again.

"Legolas?" she called to him.

He finally turned to look at her and he nodded.

"It's me Nanaylia. I couldn't let him hurt you..." he started.

He stopped when he heard footsteps coming from outside the cave. The two intently watched as they got closer. Nanaylia was worried that it was another one of the Uruk-hai but when Aragorn stepped inside, both sighed in relief yet Legolas' cheeks turned bright red.

"Legolas, what is the matter?" wondered Aragorn.

"How long have you been here?" wondered Legolas.

"For some time now but it was your sister that brought you out here. I came after that. I'm only here to help you Legolas. I figured that she'd never be able to care of you by herself. Sure, Elrond took care of your sister by himself but he least had access to everything but she does not," Aragorn explained.

"Who else has already seen me like this besides the two of you?" Legolas asked.

Both of them knew it was an inevitable question. They glanced at each other and she nodded, indicating that she would tell him.

"The only others have been Gandalf, Haldir... Gimli, Theoden and Gamling. There has been no one else," she told him.

Legolas nodded before leaning into his sister. Aragorn glanced at her as they watched him fall asleep.

'What do we do now?' Aragorn asked her in Elvish.

'We wait. That is all we can do and hope there are no more problems,' she replied. 'We have a bit of a job as it is with Legolas returning to his own self again. Elrond said it wasn't easy with me.'

Aragorn nodded before taking the body of the Uruk-hai out of the cave. When he returned, he found that Legolas was completely asleep and that she was leaning against the wall, almost asleep herself.

00000

Almost a week had passed and Legolas was gradually getting better. Aragorn better understood what Nanaylia had meant that she had brought him.

Nanaylia was near the entrance of the cave when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Legolas standing behind her, though obviously favouring his one leg even though it was better.

"Nanaylia, where are we and why are you here?" he asked. "Aren't you supposed to be in Lothlorien?"

She stood up and quickly hurried over to where he had been sleeping, picking up one of the blankets strewn on the ground. Legolas was slightly confused by this action before looking downward. He blushed slightly before walking over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Nanay, slow down. We are the only ones here. I am not worried about this. It's not like I haven't been like this in front of you before," Legolas told her.

She did slow her actions down, wondering if she should tell him right away. Aragorn had just left to get some food when he awoke so she wasn't expecting the man for some time.

"Yes, I am supposed to be in Lothlorien but our father allowed me to come here with Haldir for I knew what was happening to you," she replied as she walked back over to him. "Do you remember anything that happened recently? If not, what's the last thing you do remember?"

Legolas searched his mind for a moment, a slightly confused look on his face.

"The last thing I remember is shooting at the Uruk-hai heading towards the wall with the torch. After that, everything is a blur. Would you tell me what happened?" he replied.

"I will tell you if you do one thing for me," she told him.

"Certainly. What is it?" he wondered.

"Please put the blanket over you. I know it's just you and I here and that we've seen each other many times before but do it this one time for me? Please trust me on this. You won't regret it," she replied, holding the blanket towards him. "And you'd better sit down for this. It might surprise you a bit though it might not."

He reluctantly took it, sitting down and placing it over himself. His full attention was at what his sister had to say.

"Well, you won't remember much for the first little bit but you will eventually," she started.

"Why do I not like the sound of that?" Legolas questioned.

"It was Shentree. She had done something to you outside the mines and we recently found out what exactly she did," she told him. "I'm so sorry that it has to be like this Lego. I'm willing to help you with this, to control everything you're now capable of doing."

Legolas was surprised with the vague explanation but he figured out what she was trying to say. He sighed as he leaned his head back onto the wall.

"Looks like Manlin finally got what he wanted.I suppose I should have known it was inevitable.One thing that's on my mind right now is how I'm going to head back to Helm's Deep like this?" he wondered.

Nanaylia grabbed a nearby bag and tossed it to her brother. He glanced inside to see some of his clothes. He laughed as he pulled out a tunic out of it.

"You think of everything, don't you?" he asked.

"Not always but this time I knew," she replied. "When you are well enough to walk, we will head back to Helm's Deep where you can rejoin Aragorn and your dwarf friend and I will head back to Lothlorien with Haldir."

Legolas nodded but his ears soon heard faint footsteps outside the cave. He became slightly worried as he glanced over at his sister, who appeared unfazed and unaware. Aragorn stepped into the cave and Legolas appeared a bit surprised to him. Aragorn stopped and looked at the confused elf.

"He doesn't remember anything since the battle a week ago Aragorn. You should remember that from when it happened to me. But I don't think Legolas' is as bad as mine was since he wasn't exposed to it as long as I had been," Nanaylia called to him.

Aragorn gave a small smile before heading over to the two.

"The forest is clear. There's no one around," Aragorn told them. "As soon as you're ready, we'll leave."

Legolas nodded, wondering what had really happened during the past week. He hoped nothing went terribly wrong.

"Nanaylia, a question," Legolas finally said.

"What is it?" she wondered as he folded the other blankets.

"Why is there another name in my mind?" Legolas wondered. "Lecerne?"

Aragornand Nanaylia both gave a small smile as they glanced at each other before explaining.

00000

Meanwhile, Haldir patiently sat outside the door. Growling could be heard from inside along with some banging. They had placed Shentree in a room long before she woke up. When she finally did, she wasn't too happy with the situation.

"Let me out of here! I have to find him! What did you do with him?" she cried.

Haldir listened to her day in and day out but he never bothered to answer her questions. He didn't care to answer at all. After all, she was a gargoyle. She was a friend to the one who attacked him. Everyone wanted him to get something to eat or some rest but he didn't want to move. He reluctantly agreed to do so after a lot of persuasion.

Right now, he was listening to the ramblings of the angry gargoyle. He knew what she wanted to know but he wasn't going to be answering her anytime soon. He hated the gargoyles so much after his first experience with them.

"Elf, I know you're out there, now answer me! When I finally get out of here, I will make you answer me! I will finish what Banside started! If not, I'll tell him and we can finish it together!" she yelled out to him.

That got Haldir's attention for it was the first time that she mentioned her friend. Haldir hurried up to the door and unlocked it before storming inside. He glanced around the now empty room.

"Where did she go?" he demanded. "I have to know where Banside is. I have something to settle with him after what he's done."

The answer soon came to him as he felt himself being pushed to the ground from above. He cried out as he hit the floor, after being pushed into the wall. Hehit his head hard against the rock wall and he fell unconscious almost immediately as Shentree towered over him.

"Somehow, I knew the mention of Banside would bring you in here. I am tempted to do something to you right now but I probably should not. Might attract the attention of the others. Though I might do this..." she mused to herself.

She reached down and grabbed his quiver of arrows. She pulled one out and smiled.

"Yes, I will do this. It will do," Shentree said.

TBC...


	16. Return

Haldir groaned. He felt a pulsing sensation in his left arm and he faintly wondered what was causing it. Once he regained conscious, he glanced over at his arm to see one of his arrows sticking out of it. He soon found that it held his arm to the floor.

"That was a good trick getting me in here. I wasn't planning on coming in ever but once she mentioned Banside, I couldn't help it," He muttered to himself.

He gently pulled the arrow out of the floor and found his way to the door. He surprisingly found it unlocked and made his way out of the room. He hoped he could find someone and soon. He found that no one was anywhere outside so he knew he had to find someplace where he knew someone would be.

So when he came across the king's chambers, he was glad. The elf pushed open the doors to find Gamling, Gandalf and Gimli talking to Theoden.

"Haldir," Gandalf said before hurrying over to the elf. "What happened?"

"Shentree. She escaped," Haldir replied.

When Haldir didn't say anything else, Gandalf figured that Haldir was not comfortable yet in explaining what had happened during his watch over the gargoyle.

"Let us find someone who can help you with this injury. We shall not worry about Shentree any longer. It's probably a good thing that she's gone. Everyone was nervous with her around," Gandalf said in a quiet voice.

"That is very reassuring Gandalf. So reassuring," Haldir groaned.

He found himself being led to the healer's room.

00000

Within time, Haldir held onto his injured arm, which was now wrapped in bandages. Gandalf stood next to him asGimli and Theoden stood nearby.

"So she escaped? What should we do about her now? Should we go after her? She could still be a threat to many innocent people!" wondered Theoden.

"We aren't going to do anything," Gandalf replied

"What? Are you saying we should let her go about her business? What if she decides to attack us again?" Gimli demanded to know.

Haldir sighed, not bothering to even look around at the group. He flexed his arm, as if testing before before deciding to say anything. Gandalf didn't anything, knowing that Haldir was already going to say it.

"She won't come after you," Haldir sighed. "She won't come after any of you."

Gimli and Theoden looked at him in total confusion and disbelief.

"She won't be back here anytime soon for she wasn't after any of you in the first place. She was after Legolas and Nanaylia since they escaped from their home," Haldir sighed.

"'Their'?" Gimli asked. "Who else are you talking about? There couldn't possibly be many more!"

"Shentree, Banside and Sathed. They are the three who were under the command of an elf in Mirkwood. A small number are still alive in the forests if Mirkwood. There is one part of the forest that no one goes into for they know they will not come out alive yet Legolas and Nanaylia managed to go in and survive," Haldir replied.

"I didn't realize how many are still alive, despite what you've told me. I thought for centuries that they were all gone," Gandalf mused.

Haldir shook his head, not bothering to look up at the wizard.

"There are a few still alive. I just hope that we don't hear from them again yet I have a feeling that we will," he said.

00000

Several hours later, Haldir made his way outside, He stared out at the sky, which was slowly becoming dark. He took in a deep breath before starting to head back inside.

Before he completely turned, something in the distance caught his eye: two horses heading in the direction of Helm's Deep. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the horses and their riders even longer.

"Well, what do you know? Looks who's deciding to come back," he quietly asked himself.

He hurried to find the king and once he found him, he explained what he has seen.

"They're back? That's good to hear," Theoden said before hurrying down the stairs.

Haldir followed him towards the gate. They passed Gimli and Gandalf along the way and they joined them. The gates opened, allowing the two horses inside.

"It's good to see the three of you again. We should have known that you went after them Aragorn. The three of you are such good friends," Haldir told them.

"It's a good thing I did Haldir," Aragorn replied. "We'll explain everything later."

Haldir glanced at Legolas, who was helping his sister off the horse. He walked over to them and sighed. The siblings looked at him with worried looks.

"Haldir..." started Nanaylia.

"There's something I should tell you. It's about Shentree," he told them.

"What is it?" Legolas wondered, becoming more worried.

Haldir lowered his head slightly before motioning that they should follow him.

00000

"That wasn't like you Haldir. I can see Nanaylia and myself doing something like that but not you," Legolas said.

"What's done is done. We can't change it. I doubt she's going to be bothering us anytime soon," Nanaylia told them from nearby the window.

"But what is confusing us is how she is still alive. She was near death after Gandalf performed that spell," Haldir told them.

Legolas nodded in agreement as a knock came to the door. Everyone turned to see Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf walk into the room.

"Aragorn explained why he went after the two of you. I agree with his actions, after what he told me," Gandalf told the two elves.

"You crazy elf! I can't imagine what nonsense those gargoyles have given you already. Someone should do something about them," Gimli cried at him.

"It's not nonsense Master Dwarf when you talk about the gargoyles. You can't imagine what they can do. I can for I've seen first hand what they can do," Legolas replied. "I am glad that I am still alive. I only hope to be free from their wrath."

Haldir stood up and headed towards the door. Once reaching it, he turned to face Nanaylia.

"Come Nanaylia. Your father will be worried about you so we should soon head back to Lothlorien," Haldir called to her.

She nodded before standing to her feet.

"Take care Legolas. Father and I are expecting you back safe and sound. If you don't, you'd better be careful," Nanaylia told him.

"Aren't I always careful?" Legolas asked her with a laugh.

She smiled at the remark before heading out the door with Haldir. Aragorn walked up to Legolas' side after the two elves left.

"We're glad you're alright Legolas," Aragorn told him. "We almost lost you there."

"Yes," the elf sighed, only partially paying attention.

"Legolas, what's wrong?" Aragorn wondered.

Legolas turned towards his friend, a hand on his head. He shook his head.

"Nothing," he quietly replied.

Aragorn knew something was wrong. The elf's face said otherwise. Aragorn figured the only reason was what happened recently. He decided not to press the matter any further, even though the elf was hurting both physically and mentally.

_'I just hope that nothing happens because of what Shentree did to you,' _Aragorn thought to himself.

The End

Well, sorry for the delay with this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Don't know what I'm going to put up after this. Either one called 'Battle of the Wits', which takes place during 'Return of the King' and is related to this story. Or one that occurs before the War of the Ring. (I'll make up my mind sooner or later).


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